Published Authors: A Little Assistance?

[voluptuary_manque]

I know that several of us have already successfully published commercially. Some of you use agents and others haven't found them necessary. Unfortunately for the newbie, there seem to be a lot of people claiming to be agents who are of dubious nature. Could the members here give a list of references to agents that they trust? It would be soooo helpful for the others who are still struggling up the hill.

And I'm doing this for a dear friend of all of us, not me. I ain't ready . . . yet!

 

[Guest]

I ain't ready . . . yet!

*begs to differ*

 

[Belegon]

Unfortunately, the problem is there for already published authors, too...

...and since I've never had an agent or looked for one, I'm not sure where to begin other than the name I gave you at lunch on Tuesday...

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Unfortunately, that agency's website states that they are not accepting any new authors at the current time, hence this thread.

 

[neonlyte]

Unfortunately, that agency's website states that they are not accepting any new authors at the current time, hence this thread.

I'm slowly compiling links of agents and publishers on STORY (link in sig). We're not getting much traffic over there so I've not been 'encouraged' to post more, particularly as no one has responded to the thread

However... the idea of STORY is to provide a resource site for categories of information on writing, publishing and testing ideas writers cannot test on Lit, so they do not get lost - like they do on Lit - when they drop off the screen.

Pop over, sign up, pester me.

 

[sr71plt]

I know that several of us have already successfully published commercially. Some of you use agents and others haven't found them necessary. Unfortunately for the newbie, there seem to be a lot of people claiming to be agents who are of dubious nature. Could the members here give a list of references to agents that they trust? It would be soooo helpful for the others who are still struggling up the hill.

And I'm doing this for a dear friend of all of us, not me. I ain't ready . . . yet!

I've never heard of a legitimate agent for explicit erotica except for one or two books now and then destined for high mainstream treatment (and usually penned by someone already famous). There really isn't enough money in the marketing of it (yet) for an agent as well as the author, let alone the publisher.

Those who read this stuff can get piles of it for free--like right here on Literotica.

 

[impressive]

There's been an agent at the La Jolla Writers' Conference the past two years: Sally Van Haitsma. She seems nice/reputable/approachable.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

I'm slowly compiling links of agents and publishers on STORY (link in sig). We're not getting much traffic over there so I've not been 'encouraged' to post more, particularly as no one has responded to the thread

However... the idea of STORY is to provide a resource site for categories of information on writing, publishing and testing ideas writers cannot test on Lit, so they do not get lost - like they do on Lit - when they drop off the screen.

Pop over, sign up, pester me.

There's been an agent at the La Jolla Writers' Conference the past two years: Sally Van Haitsma. She seems nice/reputable/approachable.

Wonderful! Thanx so much. I will forward your info to "her" immediately.

 

[sr71plt]

There's been an agent at the La Jolla Writers' Conference the past two years: Sally Van Haitsma. She seems nice/reputable/approachable.

Think this needs a reversal back to the starting gate and some fundamental research in how (or even if) to go about finding an agent/publisher for anyone really interested in getting into this.

You don't just ask any old agent you've heard about to agent your book.

Sally Van Haistma (Castiglia Literary Agency) handles literary and women’s fiction, current affairs, architecture, pop culture, and science fiction. There is no indication that she handles erotica (you can't just assume that "women's fiction" will include erotica for a specific agent--usually if an agent will handle something as edgy as that, they'll come right out and say it).

You can't just shotgun these things on the basis of what you heard from a friend of your hairdresser and get anywhere.

If you don't have an idea where to start educating yourself on this, I suggest you go to the Writer's Digest Web site and start looking around for background help. Or buy a copy of the annual Writer's Market. There's way, WAY more involved in the decision to try to get an agent or then in getting one than this thread seems able to dig into.

Sorry to rant, but using up a lot of time and energy in spinning your wheels won't get you moving anywhere.

 

[impressive]

Think this needs a reversal back to the starting gate and some fundamental research in how (or even if) to go about finding an agent/publisher for anyone really interested in getting into this.

You don't just ask any old agent you've heard about to agent your book.

Sally Van Haistma (Castiglia Literary Agency) handles literary and women’s fiction, current affairs, architecture, pop culture, and science fiction. There is no indication that she handles erotica (you can't just assume that "women's fiction" will include erotica for a specific agent--usually if an agent will handle something as edgy as that, they'll come right out and say it).

You can't just shotgun these things on the basis of what you heard from a friend of your hairdresser and get anywhere.

If you don't have an idea where to start educating yourself on this, I suggest you go to the Writer's Digest Web site and start looking around for background help. Or buy a copy of the annual Writer's Market. There's way, WAY more involved in the decision to try to get an agent or then in getting one than this thread seems able to dig into.

Sorry to rant, but using up a lot of time and energy in spinning your wheels won't get you moving anywhere.

Pardon the fuck out of me.

I've spoken to the woman, as has Will, and if she hadn't indicated an interest in erotic fiction, I wouldn't have mentioned her name.

 

[sr71plt]

Pardon the fuck out of me.

I've spoken to the woman, as has Will, and if she hadn't indicated an interest in erotic fiction, I wouldn't have mentioned her name.

I'm not a mind reader. You didn't post that you had talked to her about erotica. You didn't post that you had spoken directly to her at all.

 

[gauchecritic]

I'm not a mind reader. You didn't post that you had talked to her about erotica. You didn't post that you had spoken directly to her at all.

There's been an agent at the La Jolla Writers' Conference the past two years: Sally Van Haitsma. She seems nice/reputable/approachable.

Oh I think she did.

But you'll have to get in line for pardoning the fuck out of imp. (it sounds mucky)

 

[impressive]

But you'll have to get in line for pardoning the fuck out of imp. (it sounds mucky)

 

[gauchecritic]

Ooh ooh Imp. [sorry for threadjacking VM] I got something in the post the other day. Does that make me an award winning author?

 

[sr71plt]

Oh I think she did.

But you'll have to get in line for pardoning the fuck out of imp. (it sounds mucky)

Ah, another sloppy reader (or mind reader), I guess. She most certainly didn't say she'd talked to the agent or mention anything about erotica.

But anyone who wants to waste their time and money by not bothering to actually do the research is welcome to the grief it brings.

 

[impressive]

Ooh ooh Imp. [sorry for threadjacking VM] I got something in the post the other day. Does that make me an award winning author?

Yes, dear. You are a shining star.

 

[Belegon]

Ah, another sloppy reader (or mind reader), I guess. She most certainly didn't say she'd talked to the agent or mention anything about erotica.

But anyone who wants to waste their time and money by not bothering to actually do the research is welcome to the grief it brings.

No, of course not. She didn't say anything that could have possibly indicated personal contact, since everybody forms opinions about whether or not someone is nice or approachable based on a website. * That's sarcasm in case you can't understand without it being shown in an adverbial dialog tag*

Whether or not the person seems reputable is determinable from a website.

Jeez...

Know who you're talking to before you start talking shit. In this case, the person you're talking to has been THE leader for people getting published off this site, is a nationally known editor with multiple four star or higher reviews from the leading magazine in her genre and counts multiple authors among her friends and acquaintances who are not only New York published but have multiple appearances on NYT best seller lists...

Seen the L Word? Know about Alice's infamous board with all the connections on it? If that board consists of authors on this site who have been published, Imp is Shane.

Look, the source counts. If you say that Johnny Depp seems like a nice guy, there is not necessarily an indication you have met the man. If Christian Bale says it? That has a different ring altogether.

 

[sr71plt]

No, of course not. She didn't say anything that could have possibly indicated personal contact, since everybody forms opinions about whether or not someone is nice or approachable based on a website. * That's sarcasm in case you can't understand without it being shown in an adverbial dialog tag*

Whether or not the person seems reputable is determinable from a website.

Jeez...

Know who you're talking to before you start talking shit. In this case, the person you're talking to has been THE leader for people getting published off this site, is a nationally known editor with multiple four star or higher reviews from the leading magazine in her genre and counts multiple authors among her friends and acquaintances who are not only New York published but have multiple appearances on NYT best seller lists...

Seen the L Word? Know about Alice's infamous board with all the connections on it? If that board consists of authors on this site who have been published, Imp is Shane.

Look, the source counts. If you say that Johnny Depp seems like a nice guy, there is not necessarily an indication you have met the man. If Christian Bale says it? That has a different ring altogether.

So, I take it you've never been to a writer's conference, where anyone sitting with 200 other people, 40 feet from a panel of agents, could say just exactly what impressive posted here:

"There's been an agent at the La Jolla Writers' Conference the past two years: Sally Van Haitsma. She seems nice/reputable/approachable."

Again, this does not claim personal contact and it does not say Van Haitsma represents erotica.

My point is that you need to do a lot of research on your own particular manuscript before going off and pitching an agent. If impressive doesn't agree with that--and is more concerned with covering what she didn't post--with a lot of help from her friends--than in helping the requester, she's full of baloney, no matter how tight you all are with each other.

I rather expect she's not full of baloney--beyond claiming she covered the bases in this thread posting. Seems rather silly to be hyperventilating as you are, but guess you need to get your drama from somewhere.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

You're out of your depth with this one, Sr.

Anyone who knows Imp knew exactly what she meant, in spite of her actual wording.

And anyone who knows her also knows she's trustable and wouldn't speak without having done her homework.

Clearly you don't know her well enough to know that.

But you're not the only one in the world with publishing-world knowledge, ya know? And in the erotica market, I have to say, Imp's got a leg up...

 

[sr71plt]

You're out of your depth with this one, Sr.

Anyone who knows Imp knew exactly what she meant, in spite of her actual wording.

And anyone who knows her also knows she's trustable and wouldn't speak without having done her homework.

Clearly you don't know her well enough to know that.

But you're not the only one in the world with publishing-world knowledge, ya know? And in the erotica market, I have to say, Imp's got a leg up...

Ah, I see. All of the in-tight group are mind readers.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Ah, I see. All of the in-tight group are mind readers.

No, I don't have to "read her mind." I know her. You don't. That's fair enough.

But you made an assumption - you assumed she was making some flippant suggestion. If you knew Imp, you'd know that just wasn't possible.

You could have asked her. You could have just simply asked, "Hey, do you know anything about this woman you're recommending, because in my experience, it's better to fully investigate an agent first."

But you didn't. You just assumed. And then went off.

And you know... what they say... about assumptions.

Right?

 

[sr71plt]

No, I don't have to "read her mind." I know her. You don't. That's fair enough.

But you made an assumption - you assumed she was making some flippant suggestion. If you knew Imp, you'd know that just wasn't possible.

You could have asked her. You could have just simply asked, "Hey, do you know anything about this woman you're recommending, because in my experience, it's better to fully investigate an agent first."

But you didn't. You just assumed. And then went off.

And you know... what they say... about assumptions.

Right?

Oh, you mean like the assumption that everyone knows what is meant rather than what is actually posted? We could go on like this all week, you know. But obviously "face" is more important here than being clear, so there seems little reason to stay on this roundabout.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

But obviously "face" is more important here than being clear, so there seems little reason to stay on this roundabout.

Would you like a mirror?


You're right. Very little point.


Sad to say.

 

[sr71plt]

Would you like a mirror?

Oh, did I post something other than I claimed to mean, get huffy about the post being taken at face value, and then rally the troops to give testimonials that the post didn't mean what it said? Hmm, I must have come in in the middle of that reel.

Ain't the Internet a trip?

 

[Belegon]

Oh, did I post something other than I claimed to mean, get huffy about the post being taken at face value, and then rally the troops to give testimonials that the post didn't mean what it said? Hmm, I must have come in in the middle of that reel.

Ain't the Internet a trip?

You called your first response a rant. So you must have recognized that it was one.

Certainly you don't expect those who know and love a person that you attack in a rant to not defend her?

As to the talk about mind-reading, I will repeat the part about knowing the source. This forum is not a news article being printed in a magazine where the reader can be assumed to have zero knowledge of the writer.

We tend to treat each other like family here. We have squabbles, we leap to defend each other, we support each other in times of crisis. And like in most families, many or even most of us don't require our family member to give all of their background before making a statement. I know that my brother was in the army when he talks about military matters. I don't need to be told again where and for how long he served.

She was speaking to someone (VM) who had lunch with her significant other only two days before. I think it is logical to presume that the recipient of her advice would have some awareness of her credentials. Why should she feel a need to clarify the basis for her position for every possible reader in the world?

You don't like that we stick together? Fine. You're entitled to your opinion. But Imp "rallied " no one to defend her. Instead, three people, who she directly inspired and/or made possible publication of, came to her defense of their own volition.

Such loyalty should be evidence enough of the weight her opinion and recommendations carry, without any mind-reading required.