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mree — How to Get a Literary Agent
Published: 2006-03-02 19:38:48 +0000 UTC; Views: 34124; Favourites: 1455; Downloads: 6555
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Edit: Whoa. I *definitely* did not expect to see THIS in the daily favorites. O__O Thank you so much, everyone!
Part II!
Thanks for all of your wonderful replies to Part I [link] . It's always encouraging to know that there are so many aspiring writers out there. Sorry this image is so..........long......... O_O But really, this was the minimum amount of info I could put in about finding a literary agent. There are alot of books out there on this topic as well, so if you want to know more details, look for them online or at a bookstore. I hope this helps you out, if you are an aspiring novelist!Note: For poets, nonfiction, and short story writers, this tutorial is unfortunately not applicable..... The process of submission for those forms are vastly different!
Thanks again.
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Comments: 331
WOW! Coolness! This is long, too.
Will you be making more new art tutorials?
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i wonderful source of advice, both tutorials.
As an aspiring writer, thank you. This has been one of the most informative and helpful examples Ive come across.
^_^ *faves*
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Thank you so much for posting this and the previous tutorial!!!
I have been trying to figure out how to get published for a very long time, and with this I think it might just happen.
Again, thank you. :]
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I'm just curious, because I've been writing a story, and barely halfway through, but
I just want to know if for the manuscript, should it be double sided pages,
or just one page? I assume it's one page, but I just want to know.
And another thing, by any chance, what is the book you published? I would love
to read it! ^^
.::Timbermoonkiss::.
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With an eye to the German market, step 1 doesn't apply over here. It is in fact quite common to offer or even sell novels still at an exposé level, and you also don't submit a query letter first, but the whole exposé (though of course not the whole novel).
It is however true that a publisher might not agree to give you a contract before you haven't demonstrated that you're able to finish what you begun. Still, it makes perfect sense to send exposés to them, with or without the help of an agency.
More information can be found here [link] , and maybe this is also a good starting point if you're a German language fantasy writer.
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Thank you thank you thank you thank you for writing this tutorial! This is amazing, and when I was 13 and 14 years old, I've struggled to get two of my novels published, but I've always been rejected. I guess I should disclose my age
I want to try publishing again, and I really gotta review what do to/ what not to do when querying agents. Thank you SO much for this tutorial!
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Great tutorial.
I'm a Brit, and it's nigh impossible to find a Lit Agency that actually deals with fantasy. Do you reckon I should try some American agencies? On the face of it they seem more open to the genre.
Congrats on writing the first useful piece of information on the topic that I've been able to find.
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Great tutorial! 
So kudos!
Quick questions:
1. What if your book doesn't have chapters?
I'm about halfway through mine and I don't really want to start writing in chapter form now.
I do have small sections though, but they're a little too small to be chapters from my perspective.
2. Is your book published now? What is is about? Just curious.
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These tutorials are incredibly helpful! Thank you so much for creating them! ^^ But I'm a bit confused on the SASE: Is it just a regular white envelope, or do you mean include one of those big brown ones? (feels stupid for asking this >>; )
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Thank you so much for making both of the publishing tutorials! My father's trying to get published and I'm the one he's appointed to look up this kind of information. You don't know how much this helps me!
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Thank you!! I have dont everything wrong so far!! hee hee!
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Wow...I had no idea finding an agent was such a daunting process o.0
I might turn two whole years older before getting an agent? Ay de mi!
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Oh my gosh, I could kiss you right now. ;3; This is so incredibly helpful. I sure hope I can use this tutorial someday! ^o^
Thank you so much for making this, dear. <3
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Thank you for writing this! It helped me so much! ^^
I do have a question, though... How much money does it usually cost to publish a book?
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omg thank you for these awesome tutorials and advice! It will be super helpful because I am going to be a writer and I'm in college now. >.> (hopefully, I do have hope, but one never noes...)
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question? does the very first letter have anything to do with what your book is actually about? because it seems above that it doesnt. slightly confused. but thanks for this anyway- its amazing
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If you mean the query letter, then yes--you need to include a short, one-paragraph summary of what your book is about. (And thanks, I'm glad you found it helpful!)
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Thank you so much for doing these!
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Very interesting. Now I really can't wait til i finish my book, sadly I'm in a bit of a block on my prologue XD so sad.
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I loved both this and part 1, and I think that they are both enormously useful. Are you planning on writing any more tutorials in the future? =3 I'd be sure to read them!
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Thanks so much for the detailed information!
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I've found both of your tutorials very helpful, Thank you so much! It seems there is a lot I didn't know about getting works published.
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first of all, i would like to say thank you so much for taking time out of ur wonderful life to help me and the other amazing inspiring writers here with this gold. haha i mean it.
my question is, on the chapters/manuscript that we end up sending, they should be just printed on one side, not double sided right? i jus want to make sure and thank you once again. i'm currently working on a sequel to my first finished story and i hope i can be published one day too hahaha
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Sorry for my late reply! For your chapters/manuscript, definitely print on ONE side ONLY. Remember, the agent wants it to be easy for him to make copies (i.e. for his assistant, for filing, etc).
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oh no problem! thank you for taking your time to answer my question XD thank you so much
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Very informative and just as helpful; thank you for creating and uploading this! This guide is something I'll be looking over if I decide to approach a publishing path with my finished book (after completing the sequel; I've been writing for fun-for-fun's sake)!
However, I do have one, minute question: What size is the average manuscript in physical dimension and font? 8.5x11 paper, 11pt Arial or TNR font, I assume?
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Sorry for my late reply! The size of the average manuscript is printed on regular printing paper, so yes--8.5x11" paper, plain white, 12-pt Times New Roman (at least, that's what I use).
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Excellent advice! I'm nowhere near finished with my novel yet, but when I am, I'll refer to this.
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...
I believe this is going to help me down the road.
Thank you for making this, along with part one (which I faved and didn't comment on :3)
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Ah, wow, I'm surprised to see something like this on deviantART! It's good to see someone out there representing and supporting writers through tutorials! ^___^
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May I tell you this? I followed this tutorial through and through (possibly laughing in some places 
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Thanks for the tutorials. It is an eye opener to put it mildly.
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Wow, thank you for all the information! I was really in the dark about the whole agent thing; the first time I saw "manuscripts should be submitted by an agent" I nearly cried! So thanks again for making this tutorial, now I can breathe a sigh of relief...for now ha ha.
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What the..
I was just thinking about this last week! About writing a book and how to get an agent.
My, what a perfectly wonderful coincidence. Thanks you so, so much!
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Although the process sound slong, hard, and drawn out, the way you talk about it actually lightens my fears that becoming a novelist is beyond my reach. ^^ Thank you so very much for posting this!
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Thank you so much for this! It's just what I needed.
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Very good stuff here.
Just one thing I'd add... it really does help to have some previous publishing credits before going for a novel. If people are anxious about getting a short story or poem published, I'd suggest they try the following site: [link] It's basically a search engine for literary markets (mostly magazines) and has tons of detailed info on each one- what information they require from you, what format to submit in, etc, even the rate of rejection letters vs. acceptance letters and the speed of replies. It's a really useful tool.
I haven't finished my novel yet. I'm in the middle of my twentieth chapter, heading for the climax of the plot line. I'd guess I'll finish it at just barely over 60,000 words.
Right now, though, I am trying to hone my short story skillz so I can get some more publishing credit before sending any query letters. I have been published thrice before, but two of those were poems, and all three were in virtually unheard-off magazines that were desperate for submissions.
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Just another grateful aspiring writer thanking you for your time and effort in putting this together. It is appreciated, to be sure.
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what an incredibly useful set of tutorials. makes me want to get right on that half-finished novel we all know i have. (^_^) thanks!
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Hey, thanks a bunch. This is really helpful!
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Both parts of this have been absolutely amazing. You've really given me a HUGE idea about what really goes on, because I honestly I had no idea about what the process was all about!!
You are really sweet and kind to post all of this information in these two submissions. Wow, this has really been a huge help. Thanks so much! I can't express my thanks enough. :]
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Thank you SO MUCH for this tutorial. I'm still writing my novel right now, and this is a really great glimpse into what i have to do to eventually get it published. It's my dream to have my book published, and this has helped me a great deal, so again, thank you very much.
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Thank you so much for posting this. It's extreamly helpful and cleared up the jumbled mess of impressions in my head. : D
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Wow. This is the answer to my biggest prayer. I've been writing for years, and I'm working on something that I hope to publish, so this is just what I was look for. It'll be some time for me to finish my story, but it feels good to know some of the basics of getting published before I make my attempt.
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