You Have a Literary Agent for Your Book? Self-Publish Coach on Kindle Tells Why It Matters Little

Nov. 4, 2011 - PRLog -- Have you ever received an email that was intended for someone else?

An interesting e-mail came my way today and I’m sure it wasn’t intended for me – an IndiePub Coach!

Written by an author, Samantha, it was forwarded by a mutual friend of mine and Samantha’s. Samantha is an attorney and who has had two of her mystery novels published (both by Bella Rosa). Her novels are currently Amazon-ranked at 3,000,000 and 1,400,000. (Right! With those numbers she’s obviously not doing her marketing – but that’s a whole other topic!)

Samantha was picked up by a new agent for her third novel. The new agent continues to be hopeful she can find a major publisher for Samantha’s latest ‘woman’s crime-mystery series’.

Visit http://www.amazon.com/Self-Publish-September-Independent-Publishing-ebook/dp/B004GXAYO4 for details.

I thought you might find Samantha’s update on her progress interesting; particularly if you, the emerging novelist, are waiting for #1 – an agent; and #2 – a publisher.

If you’re the type who loves reading other people’s mail, forge ahead!

Because I know that you are as curious as I am about the fate of published authors who are just now realizing that (follow me on this, please…)

*If brick and mortar book stores (Borders Books and small independents) are going out of business, and
*In turn traditional publishing houses are going out of business;
*Then the publishing industry is probably not taking calls from agents;
*Which (gosh!) means that agents are NOT seeking out new authors to represent.

Translation: Book Sales are down, people! When book sales are down, agents don’t need new authors!

When I first took notice of the Self-Publishing movement an IndiePub author needed 5,000 independent book sales as an attention grabber to land a publishing contract – that figure (18 months later) is now 10,000 book sales are needed to land a publishing contract. Sales of 10,000 books would generate about $20,000. That’s $20,000 no strings attached dollars! Typical book advances are at ~$20,000 for new authors. So if an author who hustles can generate $20,000 and they don’t have to run the risk of returning the advance (because 90% of the books published don’t ‘earn out’ in the contracted period of time) why the heck would a new author need an agent? So! If this twice published author who HAD an agent can’t get placed – what makes YOU think you can find an agent who can, in turn, find a publishing house willing to risk their money on an untried writer? Please! Someone answer my question…or…Go Indie!

In the meantime here is the email of Samantha-The-Author regarding the state of finding an agent who can find a publisher, ‘Nowadays*’.

~*~

November 4, 2011

Dear All,

I can’t make it to our writer’s circle today but wanted to update you on the novel that ‘we all’ worked on for so long. I spoke with my agent today and she gave me an update on her progress in trying to find a publishing house that will take my latest work. So far, my novel has been rejected by Harper, Atria, Touchstone Books, Little Brown, Hyperion, Random House, St Martin’s Press, and Berkeley. The good news: my agent is shopping it to five or six other big houses and she’s working VERY hard on trying to get it placed.

The frustrating part is that nobody has pointed to a flaw in the novel. So far all of the publishing houses like the writing, and the characters, all of it! But consistently we are getting the generic rejection, “not sure it fits in today’s market” or “not right for this house.” One did say that they wanted a more exciting plot. Guess I should have killed someone on page one!
My agent is still plugging away. She says it is not the fault of the novel at all, just hasn’t fallen into the right hands, and the market is “Horrific.”

So I’m in a situation where I could get thrilling, life-changing news within the next few months, or I could end up being devastated because, despite my hard work, my latest novel may just go nowhere.

I’ll see everyone at the next meeting.

Signed,
Samantha
~*~

Enough said.  Visit http://www.avharrison-publishing.com/?page_id=4 for details.

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A.V. Harrison Publishing features ground-breaking topics from emerging authors. Its books are distributed by Ingram, available on Amazon.com and B&N Nook. Owner, Emily Hill, invites submissions and can be contacted at info@avharrison-publishing.com.