tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8915423025917785375.post3667304798533467981..comments2024-03-26T22:40:30.265-07:00Comments on Dishin' It Out: All The Reasons Why I Don't Have An AgentConnie Vineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17835205487088200480noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8915423025917785375.post-61160339009634823642012-08-06T16:21:07.806-07:002012-08-06T16:21:07.806-07:00I wouldn't agent shop at this point in my care...I wouldn't agent shop at this point in my career anymore than I'd sprout wings and fly! If I've already built/am building a readership base, why would I pay them 15% to profit from that? Besides, I like thinking about their faces when they realize the old faithfuls are all dead and they haven't cultivated any more!Gail Roughtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08614223212736801906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8915423025917785375.post-45372333634061313282012-08-04T05:31:33.131-07:002012-08-04T05:31:33.131-07:00Yeah, I'm on the fence re agents, too. I'v...Yeah, I'm on the fence re agents, too. I've had two and both tried very hard to sell my (two different) books. But it didn't work out, and neither liked the next story I was writing. So...<br /><br />Thank goodness for MuseItUp!Cherylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18101939218861758437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8915423025917785375.post-32161182597533680062012-08-04T04:52:35.282-07:002012-08-04T04:52:35.282-07:00I spent ten years 'between' agents, consta...I spent ten years 'between' agents, constantly getting knocked back, but can safely say I'm making ten times as much money now with one as without one. I know it's a pain and a point of great despair sometimes, but it's worth persevering, and really, just ignore the advice on those agents' websites and write your book how you think it ought to be done. After all, you only need to find ONE agent who likes your book and trusts what you're doing enough to take you on. The rest of the agenting world and what they like are immaterial to your quest.<br /><br />Besides, agents are wonderful when they take you to lunch. I missed that so much when I was on my own. Not saying you need an agent, because you definitely don't and many writers manage perfectly well without one, or jump between being agented and going it alone as their career progresses. But they can be incredibly useful at times and worth the hassle of the search.Janehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06700477414937065931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8915423025917785375.post-36572498593924461192012-08-03T21:31:57.589-07:002012-08-03T21:31:57.589-07:00I LOVE your Wal-Mart photo! What a great idea. :)...I LOVE your Wal-Mart photo! What a great idea. :) I think we all should do that. Seriously. As for an agent. I don't have one either and don't see myself getting one...mainly because I'm not seeking one out. It just isn't something I feel I have to have anymore for validation. I used to be jealous - okay, sometimes I still am a little - of friends that have agents, but I'm pretty happy with what I've been blessed with.<br /><br />Great post,<br />Michelle<br />Concilium, available through MuseItUp PublishingAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08014841868649011587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8915423025917785375.post-31477550097877591212012-08-03T16:28:28.909-07:002012-08-03T16:28:28.909-07:00The dreaming part lets me out, because my novel be...The dreaming part lets me out, because my novel begins with a dream!!! Funny thing is most people tell me they love the first chapter and it makes them want to read the rest of the book. So I don't listen to these agents. These are the same people and I'm going to lump in editors of the Big Five there, who rejected my book in the first place!! I would love to have an agent, because i have a second book and would love to try to have it at one of the Big Fives. That doesn't mean I don't want to stay with my publisher, because I love it there. It's just it's always been my dream to do that! So having an agent might give me an in there. Agents just sound like they have these lists, but I've seen from experience that both agents and editors are ready to chuck their hate lists when they find a book they love. So they are not reliable or credible sources. I think it's more like I have read way too many awful ms's and don't want to see one more unless of course you are a spectacular writer and can somehow make all their hates be neutralized.Barbara Ehrentreuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06317588534441254146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8915423025917785375.post-72640521977202583902012-08-03T13:49:35.775-07:002012-08-03T13:49:35.775-07:00Great post, Ginger. If you received 20,000 query l...Great post, Ginger. If you received 20,000 query letters a year and could only take on two new clients, you'd be looking for ANY excuse to reject. I concentrated on smaller publishers who would actually read my manuscript without an agent. And I couldn't be happier with my publisher.liannesimonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17383532963162505533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8915423025917785375.post-57035111448715882892012-08-03T09:26:40.910-07:002012-08-03T09:26:40.910-07:00As usual, Ginger, an informative blog "spiced...As usual, Ginger, an informative blog "spiced" with wit, humor (and a side order of salami and cheese :-)Kathy Fischer-Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08846116949645699035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8915423025917785375.post-78084136885588036802012-08-03T08:42:32.913-07:002012-08-03T08:42:32.913-07:00This is just hilarious! And oh so true. Basically,...This is just hilarious! And oh so true. Basically, they sound like they don't WANT to read anything!<br />I had an agent for three years who did bupkis for me. She was very sweet but unhelpful. It wasn't until I went out on my own I got a little action. Mainstream publishing is getting harder and harder to find because it almost doesn't exist any more. So the few that are around seem to only want known commodities, the people who have previously published with them. On another note, I know two people who got agents very recently but they have written 'literature', something that took them several, if not many, years to write. The great novel. They are amazingly talented writers, but their work doesn't fit into any genre that I know of. I wish all of us well.Heather Havenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01897843833755126739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8915423025917785375.post-73881732047258391732012-08-03T07:57:40.375-07:002012-08-03T07:57:40.375-07:00Picky, picky, picky. When I see or read some of th...Picky, picky, picky. When I see or read some of the popular writers and how they begin the first chapter, I wonder why these rules don't apply to them. I guess because they are popular? As Diane mentioned, I've read some very silly and stupid books from major publishers. I'm still scratching my head.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00296793847863721845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8915423025917785375.post-56340914027480679632012-08-03T07:47:17.258-07:002012-08-03T07:47:17.258-07:00Ginger (who I don't know at all) this is why I...Ginger (who I don't know at all) this is why I have no agent either. They all say they want something new and fresh, yet take on authors who write the same boring formula, and tell me my stuff is too, well, non-formula! You can't win with them. But with ebooks, more 'interesting' authors are being published.<br />I just read a book that was so silly and yes, stupid, but yet, it's published by a major publisher. Go figure.<br />Funny post!Diane Scott Lewishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05724042672923318289noreply@blogger.com