Comments on: Anyone have any agent-type questions?

By: Kelly

Kelly — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 05:13:07 +0000

Sorry, my e-mail didn’t alert me to your last question, which is:

“What is the trend in genres you’re seeing submitted to your agency?”

Writers chasing the market. Hint: They won’t catch it. Just write what you’re good at.

In San Fran I saw a huge billboard for The Gap that read,”The new curved jean…” Sorry, same bell-bottoms we all know and once wore. Sooner or later, what you write will come back in fashion

By: sheriboeyink

sheriboeyink — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 17:07:57 +0000

I thought of another question, if you have time. What is the trend in genres you’re seeing submitted to your agency?

By: Debra Mercuri

Debra Mercuri — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:05:09 +0000

Kelly,

I have a question. I have a manuscript that Copestone Publishing has offered to publish. I am diligently waiting for your ‘boo-yah’ page to list my initials, but alas, still showing U.I.! I have heard that you should not sign a contract with a publisher that is POD and you should wait for an agent, and as I have prayed about this, I feel the Lord telling me to wait…so, I guess my question is, should I thank my lucky stars for the contract and just sign it or wait for those initials to change?

I read your Perils of Publishing faithfully and I have to say, you even make my husband laugh!

By: sheriboeyink

sheriboeyink — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:14:19 +0000

THANKS KELLY for your answers!!

By: Kelly

Kelly — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 04:31:17 +0000

It’s never too late to get an agent. Even if you have an offer on the table, you need someone to negotiate the contract, and make sure your behind is covered.

I consider writers with an offer, but with me, it’s not guarenteed representation. I need to be able to work with the writer, and be sure they’d be a good fit for my “family.”

By: sheriboeyink

sheriboeyink — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:58:31 +0000

HI!
I was wondering, what if an unagented author was at a conference, got a request from an editor at a publishing house for a partial or full MS to review. After doing so, they approached an author with a contract offer. Would you, if the author asked, be willing to step in and represent him/her? Or is it too late for the author to get an agent at that point?

By: Kelly

Kelly — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:48:50 +0000

Every agent is different. I can only speak for me. I sign pre-published authors, so I’m more willing than some to take risks and challenges. I’m an editing agent. I expect to edit so your best work goes to the publishing house.

I’m looking for writers who are close, but they don’t haveta be perfect. I can’t take green writers, though, as they’d take so much of my time it wouldn’t be fair to my clients.

Can’t tell ya how often it happens, but I had to edit each of my clients’ manuscripts.

By: sheriboeyink

sheriboeyink — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 02:45:49 +0000

HI. I have a question. Maybe even a couple, but we’ll start with this one.

So, let’s say you got a proposal, the sample chapters maybe wasn’t as polished as he or she could be, but the story was fun, fresh, unique…. And with a little polishing…..

You see where I’m going with this? Anyway, my question is, how willing is an agent to work with a writer like that? How often does it happen (If it does).