Maria Schneider, formerly editor of Writer’s Digest, now
publisher of the blog, Editor Unleashed, has researched
literary agents for key qualities like web presence, submission
flexibility, and openness to new writers. Read the results in
her new ebook, Get an Agent.
Thirty-two years ago, an unheralded mainstream novel appeared, causing some arched eyebrows in publishing circles: it had literally been plucked out of Viking’s “slushpile”–meaning the manuscript came into the house unagented and unsolicited, ending up orphaned, next stop the trash. But an editor with a good eye saw it, plucked it, and the rest is publishing history. Ordinary People became a best seller, as well as an Oscar winning movie.
These days, drop a full manuscript on a publisher that way and you’ll probably never see it again. We don’t hear slush pile stories anymore. Due to word processing and desktop printing, there’s a glut of manuscripts in the marketplace, and publishers can no longer spare the resources to sift through random submissions and turn up the next Ordinary People
Now more than ever, if you’re seeking publication, your first stop–the first gate that must open to you–has to be an agent. And yet the same problems that cripple publishers also bedevil agents. Does this sound familiar: “Thank you for your query, but we are not accepting new work at this time.” Usually, that translates to: we don’t know who you are, no one we know recommended you, you may be great but it’s all way can do to serve our active clients and keep up with submissions that we have asked to see.” Where does that leave the new writer, as yet unpublished, with no connections?
Maria’s ebook is a carefully culled list of agents actively seeking new authors, including contact information and genre interests. The price is modest, and if you’re an unpublished writer, it’s certainly a fair deal, since in effect she’s done a lot of your research for you–and exactly the kind of research that will benefit you most. Check it out.
Upcoming Freewriting Series
It’s coming, as promised, if a little later than promise. At this point, it will probably stretch to three posts (not counting last Wednesday’s 7 Habits of Successful Free Writers pre-post). I do apologize for the delay, but it’ll be well worth the wait. That’s a promise.
