Science Fiction Fantasy Chronicles: forums - View Single Post - Questions you always wanted to ask a published author

Teresa Edgerton · 27th May 2005, 01:07 AM

Alia, I had an offer on the table before I had an agent -- which naturally made finding an agent who was willing to take me on a whole lot easier.

From what I hear, it's getting more and more difficult to get publishers to look at an unagented submission -- and it's also getting harder to get an agent. Aside from sending out query letters and/or sample chapters, the only other way I know of to make contact with an agent is to meet one at a writers conference (generally rather expensive, but they do go to these things for the purpose of discovering authors) or (for SF and Fantasy) at a convention (a lot less likely, but cheaper and more fun).

Making professional contacts is becoming more and more important, and for that conventions, classes, and writers groups can be very useful for building up a network over a period of time.

27th May 2005, 01:07 AM	#14 (permalink)
Teresa Edgerton Ink-stained Wretch Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: California Posts: 4,565	Re: Questions you always wanted to ask a published author Alia, I had an offer on the table before I had an agent -- which naturally made finding an agent who was willing to take me on a whole lot easier. From what I hear, it's getting more and more difficult to get publishers to look at an unagented submission -- and it's also getting harder to get an agent. Aside from sending out query letters and/or sample chapters, the only other way I know of to make contact with an agent is to meet one at a writers conference (generally rather expensive, but they do go to these things for the purpose of discovering authors) or (for SF and Fantasy) at a convention (a lot less likely, but cheaper and more fun). Making professional contacts is becoming more and more important, and for that conventions, classes, and writers groups can be very useful for building up a network over a period of time.