Agents and Queries and Links, OH MY!

So, writing a book is tough. This is a universal fact (and if it's not a fact for you, then I hate you. Okay, maybe hate is a bit strong. How about loathe? Yeah, that's better). Getting that book published seems to be even harder. The next step, after you've edited and revised, repeated that ad nauseum, is too find an agent (unless you want to go a different route like self-publishing or directly to publishers which I know nothing about). So, I thought I'd put together some links I've found useful for this process.

The very first step when you find an agent you're interested in is to go to their website to make sure they rep what you write, are accepting submissions, and to make sure of their submission guidelines.

Literary Rambles has been absolutely INVALUABLE for me. The tons of agent spotlights are helpful and concise. The "Helpful Posts" in the right sidebar are just... well... INVALUABLE.

The Absolute Write Forums are a great place to meet writer buddies, get critiques, and find out even more information on prospective agents from people who have real experience with them.

I can't do a query blog post without mentioning QueryTracker. So much info on agents there.

The Query Shark: read every word, you guys, to help with your query writing. Same goes for The Evil Editor who is really good about critiquing every query sent.

Publishers Marketplace is another place to find agent info. Their most recent sales, their submission guidelines, and links to their websites. Some sections are for paying members only, but there's still a lot of info to be had by us poor people.

Oh and check to see if your agent of choice is on Twitter. If he/she is, then stalk, er, follow their tweets. But, for the love of all that is good and holy, do NOT pitch to them on Twitter. Unless they're doing some type of Twitter pitch contest. Maybe there is someone out there that pitched to an agent on a whim on Twitter and it actually worked out for them, but I have yet to hear that story. I've only heard agents say that this does not work.

Google... yes, Google the hell out of the agents you're interested in. Read their blogs, read every interview they've ever done.

And just to keep your spirits high and maybe spur you toward following your dream, check out the How I Got My Agent columns over at Writer's Digest. Some days I read one after another after another just to remind myself that it does happen as long as one works hard enough.

Obviously I'm not an expert at this whole thing because I am neither repped nor published (and even if I were either one of those things, it probably wouldn't make me an expert), but this all comes from spending A LOT of time investigating the process. I hope this helps and if you have any more suggestions on great places to research agents or to help with query writing, comment away!

Day 72: Good To Be Informed, Right?

Ah, the internet. It is a never ending stream of information. It is an ocean of knowledge. It makes me want to pull my freakin' hair out!!!

I've read I don't know how many "How to get your book published" blog posts. The good ones, done by people I like and pretty much trust their opinion (Kiersten White and Gretchen McNeil to name a couple), seem to say the same things. Write, write, write, edit, edit, edit, query, query, query, and, above all, don't give up. Great advice that I intend on following! It's the query, query, query part that gets me frustrated.

I go through spurts of wanting to learn as much about the publishing industry as I can. I visit recommended sites like Agentquery.com and Querytracker.net and I search for YA agents. Agentquery gives me 346 and Querytracker gives me 342 (*at the time of this blog's posting). So, I start at the beginning, going to the first agent's blog. Lots of info to take in there which is good since a querying writer should investigate any potential agents thoroughly so said writer can tell if they will gel with said agents. I glance at her blogroll and notice a plethora of other agent and writing blogs.

"Oh, that looks good. I'll check it out," I say.

Before I know it, I have twenty tabs open and I feel more confused than when I started! *sigh*

After having this particular scenario happen multiple times in the past couple of months, I've realized some things.

1. I need to focus. Don't get distracted by the shiny blog about publishing trends or the fun website that can tell you what famous author you write like (I'm like Stephen King, woot!).
2. This calls for more new office supplies. (I can always find a reason why a new endeavor deserves a brand new notebook. Preferably one with college ruled paper, spiral binding, and very stiff backing. I hate a floppy notebook.)
3. This is going to take FOREVER!

So, I'll leave the agent sites alone for today because I haven't bought my new notebook yet (this purchase will also include some type of chocolate, I'm sure) and I'll get back to what really matters: THE WRITING. Because it doesn't matter how much research you do or how convinced you are that you've found the agent that will "get you". What matters is that you write that book! The book that will have agents chomping at the bit to represent you!

Well, a girl can dream...