Just sent out my manuscript

metaoblivia

I know this forum is mainly for sharing work, but I thought I'd share with you all that I just sent out my manuscript to an agent. After thinking and researching, I decided to try for an agent first before attempting to send my manuscript to a publisher unsolicited. For better or worse, it appears that the literary world is leaning more and more toward agents. A lot of publishers no longer accept unsolicited manuscripts, at least in the States.
It's the second agent I've sent out to (got my first rejection letter from the other one). The publishing process is long and arduous, but I decided I would rather be sending out and getting rejection letters than sitting on a completed novella and never trying to do anything with it.
Oh and in case you were curious, I'm an aspiring children's writer. My book is a detective story, and the main character is a cat who lives in Miami.
Here's to hoping!

Red Hand

Cool, well done! Hope it goes well for you.:)

I will use my pyschic powers to guess the name of the detective cat...Puss in Boots Gumshoes?

TheBeefChief

I always swore blind that agents were unnecessary, but about forty rejection letters from publishers gradually changed my mind. In February I got an agent. The first thing she sent out of mine was picked up by HarperCollins.

Okay, she gets 12.5%, but I'd rather get 87.5% of something than 100% of nothing. Plus it's just good to know you have someone in the industry who is completely on your side.

Antilles

Gratz, TheBeefChief. Is it on Amazon? PM me a link

TheBeefChief

Thanks!

No, not yet. The publishing industry being what it is, she sent out the manuscript in April, I got an offer in October, and signed the contract less than a week ago.

The first book won't be out until February 2010, with the next five following in six month installments. It's a children's horror series for 9-12 year olds.

I do have a couple of things on Amazon, though, but mostly ghostwritten. Not sure if I can put links up here, but my name is Barry Hutchison and if you stick a .com at the end of that you'll find my website with links to some of my stuff.

Antilles

Haha okay well I'm afraid you'll have to forgive me for not buying it I'm writing myself so fingers crossed I'll be following your advice in a few months.

Poppy78

Good luck metaoblivia, let us know how you get on.

deepriver

where would you go about getting some agent names & do they accept sample chapters or wait for the full novel?

also I would be interested in what kind of deals are available out there, like if a publisher takes the book do you get a once off commision or revenue share?

ball park what commission / per sale revenue share are we talking about?

does getting published make you a rich man necessarily?

a lot of questions I know :P

Earthhorse

TheBeefChief wrote: »

I always swore blind that agents were unnecessary, but about forty rejection letters from publishers gradually changed my mind. In February I got an agent. The first thing she sent out of mine was picked up by HarperCollins.

Well done. Even if you had been, er, ghost-published already.

And good luck to you metaoblivia, let us know how you get on.

silvine

Mind if I ask what you wrote Beefchief and how you got on?

angeldance

deepriver wrote: »

where would you go about getting some agent names & do they accept sample chapters or wait for the full novel?

also I would be interested in what kind of deals are available out there, like if a publisher takes the book do you get a once off commision or revenue share?

ball park what commission / per sale revenue share are we talking about?

does getting published make you a rich man necessarily?

a lot of questions I know :P

Hi I was wondering the same thing. I currently writting a novel, and was going to wait until I had it completely finished (incase they asked for the rest and it wasn't ready), but how exactly do you go about getting an agent and how do you know if they are good. Is it best to try to get a publishers deal on your own or are you better to get an agent first. xx

fabbydabby

I wish any aspiring author the very best of luck! And that includes myself:D. I have sent off sample chapters for the very first time to a publisher two weeks ago and am awaiting a response.

I KNOW I can write reasonably well, as I have had bits and bobs published before, but nothing like this. From what I gather the overwhelming majority of writers in my situation get 'eff off' letters sent to them for ages before finally getting accepted.

It is what I have prepared myself for mentally and emotionally and I know it's coming but I also know I am going to be so, so dissapointed nevertheless!

Bah, nothing ventured, nothing gained,right?

Earthhorse

That's right fabbydabby. Best of luck with it.

Look into getting an agent too, it seems to be the way to go these days.

maldana

Literary agents are a better try then publishers as most publishers don't accept unsolicited manuscripts. As it goes the publishing world does seem very tough. I've written two over 100 page novels. The first one I sent sample chapters to two literary agents and two publishers and I eventually got rejected by all four of them. One went into long detail about how the publishing world is very competitive and in the current economic climate etc its particularly bad. He said only 10% of thousands of first time publishers are accepted each year. My second one got a rejection letter too. I don't want to give up writing after hearing some of the success stories on here but its difficult to keep going but I suppose yeah you do mostly get a lot of rejections before you are eventually published.

I'm writing a kind of third one now and have short stories too so I'll see how they go.

magicass

best of luck

maldana

Cheers and best of luck to any aspiring writer, its tough out there!

Larkenn

Wow someones got published for real. Congratulations
You've given us all hope now. I better get out my pen and paper and start writing again.

TheBeefChief

Thanks, guys. Getting 'properly' published is definitely more achievable than most people would have you believe, so don't listen to all those people who say "no, you can't". Trust me, I've heard that plenty of times in my life.

I've actually started offering manuscript critique services, to try to help fledgling writes avoid the most common pitfalls. It's actually very simple to get your manuscript into the top 5% of submissions agents and publishers receive, if you know some of the 'tricks'.

If anyone's looking for any advice, my website address is in my profile!