If you’re paying attention to the chatter on writers’ forums, it’s clear that finding a literary agent to represent you is harder than ever. And because of all of the drastic changes taking place in publishing, agents are rapidly changing their submissions policies. It only takes a few online searches to find out many agents aren’t even accepting queries from new writers.
That’s why I decided to take on research project and find out for myself just how many reputable agents I could find who were still looking for new writers. I set a goal of finding 100 agents open to receiving queries from new writers.
Then I set another goal to find agents who also have a Web presence, and accept queries by e-mail. Frankly, I’d want an agent with a decent website since I think that says a lot about an agent’s point-of-view and whether or not they’re going to be able to lead you where publishing is heading.
Accepting e-mail queries is a very writer-friendly policy since it can save you literally hundreds of dollars in postage, paper, printing and SASEs—not to mention the hassle factor of snail mail.
So I created this guide, the first in a series of E-Books I’m planning to launch: Get an Agent Guide: 100 e-friendly Agents Open to New Writers. This E-Book is available now via PDF download. All of the agents listed include hyperlinks to take you directly to their websites. This guide is current and obsessively fact-checked as of 2/24/09.
I’m offering this E-Book for $14.95. Go here to find more details and you can download the book right away. I promise you’ll be getting an enormously helpful resource and your purchase also supports the growth of this site.
To launch my first E-Book, I’m offering 10 free copies to the first 10 people who leave a comment on this post. Be sure to leave your e-mail address so I can send you the download.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this project. Also, what sort of E-Books should the Editor Unleashed delve into next? Let me know. And please help me spread the word if you think this is a worthy project.
-Maria Schneider
flickr photo by dashastawiczny
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I’m there! What a fantastic offer to make! Thank you! I’m on my fifth novel right now, polished and edited the other four and was starting my search for an agent. This is going to be invaluable for me! I could just kiss you (but I won’t if that prevents me getting a copy…LOL)
Love and stuff,
Michy
Great idea for a book!
Maria, this sounds great! I’d love a copy. You’re right, as the number of queries continues to increase, it’s harder and harder to stand out in a crowd (ed inbox).
Future e-books? I’d love to see more on writing good summaries or even “I have an agent, now what?” (I hope to be in that category someday!) You can find plenty of advice on queries online, but not nearly as much on these topics.
Thanks!
Terrific you’re launching this as an ebook.
Oooh, oooh! Me me me! :D
Some other e-books might be tips and tricks when dealing with editors and agents who want you to change things about your book… including the biggest thing you like about it.
I’m actually building a database that’s similar in theory.
Great idea – I’d love to see it! 100 agents is an awesome number, amazing job – especially when considering their web presence!
Great! I need an agent. Thanks. Should be really useful reference.
Great! I need an agent. Hope this works. Thanks!
What a fantastic idea ~ and this is a great website that you have. I’m going to post it to the forum for my writer’s group. Thank you!
You’re absolutely right about “the new era” agent needing a web-presence as well as a sense of working social networking sites.
Hello! Thank you for the generous offer! Oh so helpful!
I’ll post this on my blog to help you!
I’m too late for the freebie, but just wanted to let you know I think the project was a great idea!
Great idea, Maria. I hope you sell a million of these. To add to the knowledge pool, I’d like to offer these posts on my blog. “Those Darned Agents – Why So Snarky,” Parts 1 and 2 and a 2-part interview with agent Miriam Altshuler. Writers often decrease their odds by not knowing how agents operate or why they do the things they do. My goal was to capture that point-of-view.
… now that I can actually post without being afraid of being out-posted…
Maria: since I started following you on Twitter a few weeks ago, you have been a wonderful source of information for all writers. I am very pleased to have stumbled over your Tweets. You are a priceless contact in this busy, busy world of writing. I thank you for your efforts to educate us all!
Well…looks like I’m too late for my free copy… That said, I would love a copy and will pass along your ebook info to the writers I often work with (and will use it for my own book projects, too). I will send them to your website (if you don’t take pity on me and send me a free copy anyway), because I think the ebook is a great idea. I just came back from the San Francisco Writers Conference where I worked with lots of writers and spoke with several agents, and many of them commented on how publishing companies are asking them to stop sending proposals. Agents are getting pickier and pickier about the projects they take on. It’s harder and harder for writers to land an agent and for that agent to land their client a publisher. So, you go! Thanks for supporting writers everywhere. Just make sure you update that ebook every…say…9 to 12 months so it stays current. Now we need one on small and mid-sized publishers. Wanna take on that task?
Good luck on the e-book, Maria. Be sure to let us know the lessons learned on the fine art of e-book publishing you have and will learn.
I agree with Kristen. You are one of the most valuable tweeters out there. Always have great links to follow. Keep up the great work.
~jon
Fantastic! As I am doing my final edit on a novel right now, and need the most up-to-date info, I think you’ve got a customer!
Maria — I know you are going to be speaking to the Ohio Valley Romance Writers of America chapter soon. Will you have copies of this guide available when you visit?
Thanks everyone for your kind comments and support! And to the first 10 commenters, please e-mail me at maria@editorunleashed.com and I’ll send you back the Get an Agent Guide.
Oh man, I knew I should have subscribed to the blog posts, rather than drop in. Good show in getting this together Maria. I’ve been sending queries hither and yon for both a nonfiction book and a novel; I’ll snag your book so I can make sure my targets are still willing (and wiggling). Thanks!
This is a great idea Maria… too bad I wasn’t on earlier today, and could have snagged a free copy… I’ll just have to save some money now :)
Can’t wait to see what else you have lined up…
Brilliant, Maria! This certainly must have been labor- and time-intensive, which is why it hasn’t yet been done well. And I’m glad you did it. What a great resource. I’m going to get my copy!
What a wonderful resource you have put together – I will be sure to pass the information on to others.
:o)
I am definately interested but PDF is not accessable for me since I use a braille display. Is there any way I can buy it on any other format. Such as txt or doc files.
Helene,
Can you e-mail me at maria@editorunleashed.com and I’ll see if I can get it to you in a format you can use.
All Best,
Maria
I know that I’m too late for the free book. The only bookstore is 30 miles one way and it’s Books-a Million. Is it available there? It sounds like just the thing that I’m looking for espically if there are fictional agents for children and YA. Thanks Jackie
Hi Jacquelyane,
No need to go to the bookstore, it’s an ebook. You can download it here: http://editorunleashed.com/get-an-agent/