How often does a agent take on a new author?

Question

Hi. I am a teen novelist (13 years old). I am halfway through my current project (nearly 300 pages so far). My question is: In your opinion, what are the odds of an agent taking on a teen first-time novelist?

Answer 1

The above information is not accurate. You cannot go directly to a major publisher. Only an agent can do that. Major publishers do not accept unsolicited queries from authors. If they did, every person on the planet would query them and nothing would ever get published. Agents pitch books to them. That is how it is done.

You can go directly to a small publisher, but then you won't need an agent. I have never heard of someone telling an agent a publisher is interested, it is the other way around.

Your chances depend entirely on the agent and the genre and the quality of your work.

First you have to have a completed manuscript edited and ready to go. Then you search through either Writers Market or Literary Marketplace for agents who are currently reading work in your genre. Each agent's listing will indicate what percentage of their clients are first time authors. Many also indicate what authors they represent, although many keep that confidential.

After you check out their credibility though Preditors and Editors and Absolute Write Water Cooler's Bewares and Background Checks, you send them a query letter and a synopsis according to their submission guidelines. Follow the guidelines to the letter! Never send a manuscript to anyone unsolicited. It will either be slush piled for rejection or tossed out.

If an agent shows interest, they will request a full or partial manuscript and a book proposal. You have to learn how to write a query letter, a synopsis and a proposal. They are all very specific documents with specific information in them. You will also have to learn how to properly format your manuscript.

You must realize that at 13, your parents will have to be involved in any negotiations and sign contracts on your behalf. They will probably need a literary attorney to represent you.

Be prepared for lots of rejection. That is the nature of the business. These people receive thousands of submissions and many of them are from 13 year old kids. Unfortunately, don't expect them to go easy on you because of your age. You will be treated just like any author.

I have starred many Q and A regarding writing and publishing on my profile. Print out a bunch of them and share them with your parents. It is better if they start learning how to advocate for you now. I add more great Q and A as I see them. There is a lot of good information for you to use there.

You have a long way to go before you are ready for an agent. So start learning now. One other thing - start talking like an author. Industry standard refers to the length of a manuscript in terms of words. Always quote the number of words in your manuscript. The length in terms of pages is based on 250 words per page.

Hope that helps. Pax - C

Answer 2

You can do it both method, get an agent or pass immediately to publishers. Yes, a few of the tremendous publishers within the UK will most effective appear at you when you have an agent however now not they all. There are nonetheless a few publishers within the nation who will appear at unagented paintings, or even occasional open submissions in which new writers, with out dealers, can publish their paintings for attention. I consider Macmillan ran the final one. Alternatively, if you are inclined to take a look at the USA publishers, a lot of them are extra inclined to appear at unagented or new writers than the UK ones. If you think optimistic in dealing with contracts and matters in your possess then supply it a check out. If you make a decision to get an agent, then they're going to manage matters like that for you, and they're going to publish your be just right for you, manage the whole lot else. Some of the opposite answerers stated matters like 'if it is not well sufficient to get an agent then a writer would possibly not take it both' however there are extra books being released than there are areas at corporations. Many dealers will most effective tackle a targeted quantity of customers so as to add to their current record, and most effective open their lists for brief durations of time. Also, for those who write designated genres, you in general discover that the dealers who do manage that style of labor are not taking over customers at gift which leaves you caught. I discovered issues like those a couple of years in the past whilst I used to be first filing paintings and it obtained to the factor in which I idea, why now not check out going immediately to a writer? I did, and I now have paintings released by means of 2 publishers within the USA, and one has simply reduced in size a 3rd guide. I've treated the contracts and edits and the leisure on my possess, and my publishers were enormously handy in answering any agreement queries I had or any common questions. I intend to touch dealers once more with my subsequent guide, more often than not due to the fact that I wish to get my paintings released within the UK, as a substitute than simply the USA, however I do not remorse going immediately to the publishers. I'm getting royalty cheques and readers and whilst I subsequent process an agent, I have guides so as to add to my CV.

Answer 3

Zero.

Agents and publishers don't take teen authors.

Answer 4

if you have a good book, they will. Listen to perisphone, DONT listen to Sky, she doesn't know what she's saying(sorry if im rude)