Best literary agency for fantasy

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Permalink Reply by Martin T. Ingham on February 26, 2008 at 7:58am

As someone who has spent a decade now trying to market material, I can tell you it is very difficult to break into the American publishing fields. It is doubly hard if you don't have a special angle you can capitalize upon. If you aren't a celebrity, don't have a PhD, or have a list of fancy references, a lot of publishers and agents won't even bother reading the material you send them.

I have long considered starting a small press of my own, because there just aren't enough really good Sci-Fi stories being published by the big presses these days. Unfortuantely, I haven't the monetary means to set up shop.

Permalink Reply by Linton Robinson on February 26, 2008 at 10:23am

Let us know if you start up. Talk to lightning source: it might not be as expsneive as you think. ePublishing has got to be practically free. $100 a year for a website.

One thing I want to note here. Lots of people tyring to get on with agents and pubcos think it's a matter of rolling out credtentials or resume. Want to know if their 3.95 grade point average counts.

They don't care. What they DO care about is your "platform". Something that they can see as selling books. A radio talk show, a lecture circuit, expert on about.com, blog with huge following, head of a psychotic church with thousands of fanatical members. Something that says: "Yeah, X number of people will buy this guy's book.

This is what they want, so that's how you need to approach it. Sometimes the difference is sublte, sometimes it's extreme. (PhD in the subject no big deal, 56,756 frenzied friends on myspace might be)

Permalink Reply by Michele Avanti on July 30, 2008 at 1:53am

I have just been invited to share on this social network and though the postings are old, I thought I would jump in and see if there is any life left after 10 months.

How are you Dario? Have you located an American Publisher for your work?

I think it would be hard without a translation of one of your books for an American Publisher to pick you up since there are so many American writers who even with awards do not receive recognition here.

Since my first dip into the book publishing field, I have seen a variety of ways that work, but all require a lot of work on the part of the author.

If you can sell 30,000 copies of your book in one year, you can find a publisher here, that is one venue that works.

Getting a screenplay of your work made and sold is yet another venue.

But what is happening in the market today is self-publishing which through a variety of means from shows and personal signings to viral internet marketing, one grows a following that results in more money without big publisher controls.

I do believe the future of publishing is with the independents since they are the ones to drive the change and they are the only ones who stand behind their authors with determination and long term goals.

Big publishers' agendas for new comers is simple, you have 90 days to make it or you are off the shelf and someone else gets a chance. That is why they stay away from new fiction and herald all manner of non-fiction - especially anything timely.

As you look to America for publishing, my book is currently seeking a publisher in Europe through an agency called Caduces in Milano.

Wishing you every blessing - Michele - talesoftamoor.com

Permalink Reply by Dario de Judicibus on July 30, 2008 at 10:35am

Michele: How are you Dario? Have you located an American Publisher for your work?

No, I have not. Or better, I have located various literary agencies in USA, UK, and Australia, but all of them gave the same reply: «We are not interested to translate foreign authors even if already published in their countries. We have enough English authors to work with.»

Michele: If you can sell 30,000 copies of your book in one year, you can find a publisher here, that is one venue that works.

Not even Salvatore or Martin sold 30,000 copies of their books in Italy, even if they are translated in Italian (most Italian readers do not read English). Italian Fantasy marketplace is not so large as USA one, first because Fantasy is not a popular genre, second because we are only 56 million people and only 40% of Italians like to read books. Most italians prefer TV or magazines.

Michele: But what is happening in the market today is self-publishing...

Self-publishing is OK for English, since you have potentially the whole world as marketplace, but if you write in Italian you have not such an advantage. Very few people outside Italy can read Italian language (in Swiss, Argentina, and USA, mostly). Furthermore, many self-publishing services as Lula are USA based, so if you get an ISBN number (and you should for any serious publication), it is an USA ISBN number and it is not listed in Italian on-line catalogs. Lula services to promote self-published books does not really cover Italy. Most of partnerships are in anglo-saxon world. So, viral marketing for Italian language is not yet mature.

Michele: As you look to America for publishing, my book is currently seeking a publisher in Europe through an agency called Caduces in Milano.

Well, you may be more lucky than me. Italian agencies are more propense to translate from English than USA agencies to translate from Italian. By the way, I am currently writing a fantasy novel for teens for one of the major publisher in Italy. He is interested and told me to send him the work when finished, but I have not yet a commitment to publish, of course.

Beign a native English writer is an advantage in the world, today. You may want to read my article: Dominant culture speaks English

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