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Agents

edited June 2006 in - WM and WN

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  • Hello everybody,
    With agents providing some interesting debate in Talkback at the moment, we thought it was a good time to point out that we have changed our poll question.
    After Carol's suggestion the new question is 'Do authors really need agents?' See the sidebar to register your vote.
    Best wishes
    Webbo
  • I've been lucky. After writing to several agents and publishers, a print-on-demand company took me on. I've now sold more than 1,000 copies of The Dandelion Clock, and topped the Amazon UK charts in the relative genre. Who needs an agent!
  • No,

    If a top class mega large publishing firm likes your work then an agent is needed as those guys will be top notch and really know what they are talking about :O)

    Well done Jay on over 1000 sales, we know how hard it can be to sell books so really well done :O)

    We're just under the 2000 mark at the mo ;O) and we top our own top 10 bookcharts ;O)

    Gary and Carol :O)
  • As I caused this, I agree that it is an issue affecting novelists, but shouldn't all authors have a view, not just novelists. Scriptwriters can have agents also.
    But as we've seen from those who have gone the print on demand route, agents for them have no place.
    As I see it, even if you have an agent you still need to do the self-publicity.
  • No, I don't believe writers of any genre need to have an agent to get published - in fact, as in my case, it is often easier to get a publisher interested by going straight to one yourself. I wrote a letter some four years ago, enclosing a brief synopsis, to one of the biggest non-fiction publishers in the UK and I was offered a contract with them to write five books, so I've never dealt with an agent. The only thing I would say is that if you do get a publishing deal without an agent, make sure you understand the types of contracts they offer and if in doubt ask a professional to look at it before you sign.
  • Totally second Carols and Debs views :O)


    Gary
  • It is not only novelists who can make use of agents, I'm having to all the arrangements for a launch, publicity/media/reviews etc for my non-fiction and frankly, it's a daunting task with absolutely nobody to help or offer advice, an agent would be a boon as I just don't have the time, the experience, the knowledge or the contacts to do it. But I'm having to do it anyway through lack of agent and it's b***dy hard work and stressful and the lack of anyone to turn to for advice about it makes all the harder....
    Yes, I want an agent!
  • Moira,
    I'd have thought an agent would welcome a client who already had a book printed, bound and ready to go?  Besides which, there is no publisher leaning over him, nor warehouse yawning for its cut.  And if you can write one non-fiction book, then the professional mileage in you is pretty good?
    With best wishes, Patty
  • I hope they will be interested, Patty, as I'm sending off the synopsis for my novel to 20 agents so hopefully someone might take it on or at least request the non-fiction proposals.
  • Moira,

    Good. When you are secure, I'll bully him myself.
    Patty
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