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I was wondering if there's some secret that I need to know, or simply have missed?
I write fictional crime thrillers... Can anyone shine a light my way?
It seems as difficult to get an agent as get a publisher, so keep trying.
If James B is around he may have some words of wisdom.
Have you looked for agents who represent authors of work similar to yours, and authors you like to read? Have you tried US agents?
Thanks for all your kind words of encouragement.
Maybe I'm being paranoid..?
;-)
I'm not sure about wisdom, but I can offer some words!
First, no agent's list is ever full. Every agent will always be able to represent a new writer, as long as he (I'm not being sexist, but adding 'or she' all the time is going to get boring) is convinced that the author is marketable.
This is probably the crux of the problem. If an agent is already representing a stable of writers in the same field as you, your work has to be of the same quality - or better - and sufficiently different that you're clearly not copying an established writer. By 'copying' I don't mean deliberate plagiarism, but just writing something that's too similar to another author. For example, if your hero is a detective-inspector based at Cambridge who drives an old Aston Martin and has a degree in English Literature, most agents will immediately reject the book as being too similar to the Morse novels.
The field you've chosen is very competitive, and your book has to be both different and familiar at the same time. It has to be familiar in that the agent can immediately recognise the genre, but sufficiently different that he can see a slot for it in the current market.
Ideas off the top of my head - how about a detective who's black, or gay, or a woman? What about two female officers? What about an undercover officer, implicated in a murder, who has to clear his name without revealing who he is? That would be an interesting hook for the first book in a series.
Second, and I think I've said this before, most agents want three things from you (but check the trade publications to see exactly what they specify):
1. The first three chapters.
2. A short (one-page) synopsis.
3. A covering letter.
The chapters show you can write; the synopsis shows you can plot, and the letter is your formal introduction to the agency - your calling card, if you like.
My agent reads the letter and the first page of the MS. If that interests him, he'll read the second page, and so on. The letter has to be informative and interesting - if you can't write a good letter, you certainly can't write a good book - and if the first page of the MS doesn't hold his attention, why should he bother reading more?
Your letter should introduce you, but also explain why you're writing this kind of book. Are you a serving police officer? Have you worked in crime detection? Where do you see the series - and you MUST have a series in mind - going? Where will the book fit in the current market? What's different about your hero? And what sort of person are you? Be chatty but professional.
And, crucially, are you personally marketable? This shouldn't make any difference, but it does. Any scandal or notoriety in your personal life can help sell a book, so if your uncle was tried for murder, or tracked down a notorious killer, don't be shy about telling the agent about it.
NEVER say anything like 'this is better than anything Graham Greene wrote' - I know that sounds unbelievable, but my agent has received dozens of letters saying more or less exactly that!
Third, finding an agent can be just as difficult as getting a publisher, but if you can obtain representation your chances of securing a publishing contract are enormously enhanced, simply because the agent will bypass the publisher's slush pile and go direct to the right editor.
Fourth, consider having your 'package' looked at by a book doctor or some other third party whose response will be both impartial and constructive. My MSS are looked at by at least two people before they go anywhere near Macmillan, simply because I'm too close to the book to see the faults and inconsistencies. The chances are that a competent book doctor could suggest numerous alterations that would improve what you're sending out.
Fifth, good luck!
James
I wish you much success my friend.
;-)
Thanks for your kind words of encouragement.
;-)