I'm sure I'm not the only writer who subscribe to agent blogs. These blogs are a wealth of information. Unlike places like Agent Query, Query Tracker, and Publisher Marketplace (these places give you the bare essentials) you get a sense of who the agent is, how they work, what they like or whether or not they are insane. There is nothing worse than finding out your dream agent doesn't fit after you've signed. (Well, finding out your agent doesn't have the contacts necessary to sell your manuscript.)
I know I've found out how an agent likes query letters including what you can leave out. I've also found out what they love and things that will get you an automatic rejection. But at some point reading these blogs can become an information overload. On one hand they tell you what the hell send the query. In the next blog post they complain about people who don't read their guidelines i.e. what they represent.
Today's question: How helpful have you found agent blogs?
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6 comments:
I've found agent blogs helpful, particularly in preparing my query letter and understanding why agents' response times are longer than authors may prefer. :) After following several, I was getting the same info on different blogs, so I whittled my read-list down to the blogs I found better organized, better formatted, and more entertaining than the rest.
Overall, I've found most helpful: Janet Reid (Fine Print) and her alter-ego Query Shark, Nathan Bransford (Curtis Brown), Kristin Nelson, Jennifer Jackson (Donald Maass), and Kate Schafer Testerman (kt literary).
I really miss Miss Snark. Her blog was the best.
I only read a couple agent blogs with regularity; Jessica Faust and Kristin Nelson. I find their info very helpful.
Janet Reid (Fine Print) and her alter-ego Query Shark, Nathan Bransford (Curtis Brown), Kristin Nelson, Jennifer Jackson (Donald Maass), and Kate Schafer Testerman (kt literary)
I will second your recommendations. Those are great blogs filled with important info. I know if you only hit the archives on these you'd walk away smarter about the industry and how agents think.
I really miss Miss Snark. Her blog was the best.
Lol. I still haven't gone through all the post, but I have to agree. I came late to the Miss Snark train, but she was a wonderful source of snark and info.
Jessica Faust and Kristin Nelson.
They both have different POVs when it comes to authors, publishing and agenting. But I think if you read those then you can walk away and choose a balanced view of what it takes to get an agent. And what really doesn't work.
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