Comments on: Self-Published Author Seeks Agent

By: Judy Barnhart

Judy Barnhart — Tue, 08 Jul 2014 21:56:00 +0000

I am seeking a publisher or agent on behalf of a young man who spent four years camping on the coast of Oregon and writing and photographing the various areas he visited. Along with his personal thoughts about these places, he also included any other bits of native lore or information he could learn about each place. The facts and information he includes vary from historical to scientific–even philosophical. The title of the book, which he self-published in a beautiful, hand-bound edition, is “Camping at the Edge of American History,” and includes many photographs. Upon completion of this volume of work–the writing, photographing, planning, publishing, and self-binding–he became seriously ill and has been unable to do anything further with it. The self-bound copy has been sold in several gift shops, and he did arrange for an e-version of the book to be sold through Amazon. (In fact, you might learn much more about the book itself by consulting that source.) His hope had been, however, to find an agent or publisher who would be interested in publishing the book in other formats (e.g. a coffee table edition would be perfect) and in taking over its distribution. His current illness, however, has prevented him from doing anything further with the book, and I am attempting to help him in doing so.
Thanks for ANY suggestions you might offer on possible agents, publishers, or anything else that might help in our quest to do more with the book.

By: RM Gilmore

RM Gilmore — Fri, 19 Jul 2013 01:56:00 +0000

I self-pubbed the first of my series in 2012 wanting to get into the book world, but honestly not thinking I could make it. After a year I have realized that route is not for me and the goals I have will require a killer team at my back. My sales have been modest but seem to be growing since I released the second in the series at the beginning of 2013. I feel like if I had a bankroll to advertise these numbers might be larger. I don’t feel as though my ‘sales’ are brag worthy and worry about even mentioning sales numbers, but I would like an agent to give me a shot. I have received great reviews, but that doesn’t seem like anything agent would care about.

What would you suggest as far as my query letter? I have one started, but am having trouble with how to word that the book is the first in a series and has been self-published in eBook format, but is available for all publication as well as screen (wouldn’t that be nice!) Any advice is valued! Thanks so much for this info.

By: Thoughts on Being a Hybrid Author - Girl None

Thoughts on Being a Hybrid Author - Girl None — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 13:43:31 +0000

[…] Self-Published Author Seeks Agent […]

By: Todd Bowen

Todd Bowen — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 08:42:07 +0000

Thanks for the great info Rachelle! BTW, this blog post came up #1 in my Google search for:

should i get an agent if i self publish

Nicely done!

By: Riley Banks

Riley Banks — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 04:13:15 +0000

Hi Rachel,

Thank you so much for this article. I’m at that stage where I am trying to shop my Indie book around to an agent in the hopes of going ‘legitimate’. My reasoning for self-publishing was two-fold: First, I didn’t have the time to shop around for an agent or publisher in between working full-time and writing every spare moment I got. My second reason being that I thought it would be easier to ‘sell’ my book to an agent and/or publisher if I had already proven that it was commercially viable. In other words, if I’d already taken the risk on and shown that I was willing to put in the effort it takes to build an author platform and audience.

My question now, as I start shopping it around to agents, is this: Do I send the complete package to them, as in a printed version of the book? Or do I go the traditional way of sending printed pages with a synopsis? The reason I ask is that I am really proud of the coverwork and marketing I’ve put into the book. The artwork was done by a professional company and costs a lot of money, so really want to ‘showcase’ the whole package.

Is this the right route or do I risk annoying a potential agent?

By: Cole Davis

Cole Davis — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 23:54:30 +0000

In reply to DR Win. When writing a niche book, I used CreateSpace, well actually its former entity BookSurge. They were awful. If you have to self-publish use someone else. More to the point, when I wrote a similar book which was more marketable, I had it published by approaching publishers directly.

By: Angela Cosco

Angela Cosco — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:10:53 +0000

I’ve read the previous letters. And I am not a person who has decided that my novel is all about (me) the writer. It’s about the work and energy I put forth for 5 years, dedicated to writing. My first intentions was not to make a career out of it, I never thought, I’d get this far, to see it finished, edited, polished, and up for sale.
I feel like its a story, I’d like jump into and live there right inside the pages…
See, its not about (me) but much rather, my work. I’d like to share it with all the world, to give others the chance to hear this story, and watch them become as fascinated as it all made me, (a piece at a time, inch by inch, chapter by chapter.)
I would say on average, I am very easy to work with, and very dedicated to my work.
It’s not my intentions to give up, ever.
Some people, all they need is guidance in the right direction and a small, if any… one little, unique chance to prove the quality of their work.
I don’t ask for much credit, because I’m not a character in the book, though the novel is simply a work of art. It’s a picture worth a thousand words and the words that follow, available to finally read them.

By: Angela Cosco

Angela Cosco — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 21:57:02 +0000

Hello. I sent over 50 query letters to over 50 agents, including a publisher. He appeared to reject my book, but then wanted to enter it in his company’s writing contest, but pasted the submission date. He seems to be a successful author himself and I felt like it was a scam.
Anyway… All the agents I queried, told me that they do not take on 1st time, unpublished writers and that it will be hard for any agent to consider helping me with unsolicited,unpublished, 1st time novels.
So I self-published my book as an e-book on smashwords called: Fantastic Vampires.
I know that there is still a large market for vampires werewolves, elves and wizards still. Such (as you must know) will never go out of style.
I wrote to an agent and provided all the details and she said…
”I don’t deal with published authors.”
It seems so easy for them to reject a person right away, and I an sure that calculating the speed of their return letters, that they did not take the time to read the chapters that I have provided them.
If you are unpublished, tell them this, and if you are published, tell them that.
It leaves me not knowing what to do.
Well, Fantastic Vampires is published now and pending. As my new e-book. (because I just put it up for sale)
My material is so worth a real chance. I studied 5 years and it’s edited, polished work. I strongly believe in my work and would like to find a real, dedicated agent who could give me a fair chance, like some of the ones who are now considered the best selling authors.
They say, in order to make money, you must have money and it’s all in who you know.
Well, I happen to believe that although, you know what you need it always depends on where you start.
I know nothing about advertising. And I have little income, so paying for advertising is out of the question.
Can you suggest some good advice to me? Where do I go from here?

By: Billie

Billie — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 01:12:35 +0000

In reply to Billie. Sorry, I meant Rachelle, not Rachel!

By: Billie

Billie — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 00:44:08 +0000

Hi Rachel,
I self published a few years ago by finding a print-house and using my own LLC as the ‘publisher’. I sold maybe 100 books via my website, realized I couldn’t get into bookstores on my own, and so gave up to focus on child rearing for a few years!
I have just re-edited the manuscript and am considering a title change to match the screenplay adaption I wrote of it. I’d like to start sending out proposals the traditional way based on my edited manuscript with new title. Do I still need to mention the initial self publishing? Can I just consider it a new entity? There’s really no way for the old book to go on sale unless the one hundred copies out there are resold online or in used bookstores. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks 🙂

By: Do I need an Agent? | Joyce Sandilands, Author

Do I need an Agent? | Joyce Sandilands, Author — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 22:23:34 +0000

[…] She has a great website with lots of other useful information for writers and authors. Check it out. […]

By: DR Win

DR Win — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 21:26:17 +0000

In reply to Lance Albury.

Rachelle has said some very interesting things and seems to be quite sincere. But I have to agree with some of the other posters. I wasted a lot of time trying to get two different novels published through agents. Like other posters, I found that many agents don’t pay attention to over the transom submissions. Your MS ends up in a slush pile that may well end up lining the bottom of someone’s parakeet cage. The agents you do deal with are often bitchy, contemptuous, rude and arrogant. The idea is that the writer is supposed to feel grateful for even having been spoken to. Perhaps many of these agents are jealous because they themselves have neither the talent nor the drive to write anything themselves. Bottom line: bad karma, bad energy, very unpleasant way to waste time.

There is also the fact that agents often have no idea about what will succeed. My favorite example is “Confederacy of Dunces.” The author tried for years to get it published and ended up committing suicide. Years later, his mother finally got it into print and it won the National Book Award and became a best seller. So much for insider expertise.

Before the internet and outfits like Create Space, I published two “how to” books by going directly to small publishers. They provided full editorial support and got my books to market. Alas, by now the big publishers have eaten most of the small ones, and big agencies have crowded out many of the small ones. Now everyone is looking for blockbusters and no one will support new writers in the traditional way.
Most recently I have published two more “how to” books via Create Space. I had the creative pleasure of doing the entire project myself, from cover photography to interior layout, illustrations and text. I won’t get rich off these books, but they are selling and I have the satisfaction of having gotten a product on the market without having to prostitute myself by kowtowing to arrogant gate-keepers.
I plan to rescuscitate the novels and self publish them. Those who like them, will buy them.

By: Dalya

Dalya — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 08:10:01 +0000

In reply to Mary. Thanks for the info! There are certainly a lot of challenges in self-publishing. One issue is that once you've got enough books selling regularly every month to be "interesting" to publishers, you feel like you might be on the verge of a breakthrough with your next title. The idea of putting that next title (the big breakthrough one) on hold for a couple of years is really tough. Especially when Big Birthdays are looming. :-)

By: Mary

Mary — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 10:01:17 +0000

I have to admit I am a little discouraged with regard to self-publishing. I belong to a critique site and have volunteered to critique and edit manuscripts that authors contend are completed and ready for publication. I’m shocked that this garbage (typo’s, run-on sentences, incomplete thoughts/logic, etc.)is e-published while I have spent many long months editing my finished manuscript in order to make it worthwhile. Frankly, it’s a little disheartening that my labor of love will be lumped in with the rest of the trash. It makes me want to give up and consider remodeling my bathroom instead.