Chicken or the egg syndrome

[Laerten]

I have been checking out a lot of Publishers websites lately and have notices that most of them say that they are only taking on books that come via Literary Agents.

OK, the logical thing to do then would be to try to get taken on by a Literary Agency.

The problem with this is that if you are an unpublished author, aren't the odds of finding an agent first extremely long as they will not know whether you will get published at all. They only get paid if you get published.

Most of the advice I have received and read says to get on board with a publisher then find an agent.

What is the best approach?

[JFLewis]

I advocate the "find an agent first" route, but only because that's what worked for me. If you take that route though, you have to make sure that you do your research. Check out books by authors who write the same types of book that you write, then try and find out who represents them.

Once you know that, do a little digging and make sure that you follow the agent's submission guidelines.

If that doesn't work for you there are plenty of places online with lists of agents (I used WritersMaket.com), but you need to make sure they, the agents, are reputable and that they handle the sort of fiction you write.

Also... many authors, myself included, talk about their trek to publication on their blogs.

Again, be sure to check out sites like Writer Beware and Preditors & Editors so that you can practice "safe agent searching."

If you do choose the publisher first route, then you will likely need to start hitting the convention circuit and trying to make contacts with editors in person.

Hope that helps!

--Jeremy

[Laerten]

Thanks for that. I guess that if one route doesn't work then I should try the other - can I do both at the same time?

[MG1962]

If you look into the history of a lot of authors, you will find they published a number of short stories - then using those credits hawked their ability to agents

[Troo]

Originally Posted by Laerten

Thanks for that. I guess that if one route doesn't work then I should try the other - can I do both at the same time?

That depends on the submission policies of the agents and publishers involved. Some may frown upon simultaneous submissions, which leaves you up **** creek without a paddle if two of them accept you at once.

[Xelebes]

It isn't too much different from the music industry. Submit short works to small-time publishers. See if they publish it. If they do publish it, then you can go up to a publishing agent and say that you've actually gotten some of your works published.

[Xwing Mom]

Another approach you might consider is self-publishing....NOT vanity presses. The big difference is that self publishing allows you to be paid for your work, not the other way around. Yes, it takes a little more discipline on your part, as far as merchandizing goes; and it will never have the big numbers that a regular publishing company will have.

Yet, you can get your book into print, collect the royalties, and start building up your visibility. Most first novels are extremely difficult to market, so self-publishing is a great way to get them into the readers' arena.