Unpublished authors, I think, often forget that there are two sides to every slush pile. On the one hand, agents are out to eliminate queries so they can devote time to those magical manuscripts that will set them afire - and with which they can set the publishing world on fire in turn.
On the other hand, authors (lest we ever forget: the ones who create any and all possible product in the publishing market ... ALL. OF. IT.) have to remember we must eliminate agents, too. We can't just query 'em all, it's no way to find the right one.
And research can be grueling.
Here's the thing, though. Sometimes, we can make it easy on ourselves.
I just eliminated an agent from my list because, though they are listed as repping histfic, their own list of what they're looking for included "women's lit, chicklit, lady lit, and lad lit".
Nope. Not my agent. Ever.
Also: gag. Gag me with a spoon, even. GAH!
I no more accept that literature needs a pink label on it so my soft little female brain will know I'm allowed to read it than I accept that razors and soaps and automotive accessories and anything sold in a hardware store (.... or, you know, anywhere at all) need to be pink so I'll know my soft little female hands are allowed to use them.
Ya gotta have limits. When it's 74 degrees outside one day in December, 41 the next, and bouncing back up to 66 the NEXT, it may be said that limits can get as tight as your headbone.
Still, I don't think I'll run squealing back toward this one any time soon. I'm on the lookout for the agent who reps my genre and maybe gushes about puddy lit too.
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2 comments:
With all the focus on what agents want, it's easy to forget that this is not all about agents vetting writers. We vet agents too! And you're right to remind us, Diane, that if writers didn't write, there would be no publishing industry. Agents, editors, and publishers would be unemployed.
All the best with your agent hunting! :)
Hello, Colin! Thank you for coming by (though I see even as you are so kind I have a typo in the headline!).
As you probably know, though: I'm just parroting Janet Reid. :)
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