Received at the ASIM Inquiries email the other day. We're still discussing how we can get this information out to people; this is a big-name agency with some top clients. It's the real deal, and I wish they'd been actively looking for clients back when I was desperately trying to get an agent. If RHA hadn't already made arrangements for the US release of Wolfborn, I'd be checking them out myself. Never mind, next time. I do have a novel going, but it's in frst draft mode and no one gets to see it till I've done a lot more work on it. But I know a lot of writers read this blog, so here is the information and good luck!
"We’re writing to introduce you to The Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency and to let you know we are actively seeking clients in the Science Fiction and Fantasy genres. We are a full service agency, representing writers at every stage of their career.
The agencQy opened in 1984 and has always had an interest in both genres. We’re privileged to represent a number of top talents in science fiction and fantasy such as John Scalzi, Karen Miller, Sharon Shinn, Gail Z. Martin, Ian Douglas/Bill Keith, Kay Kenyon, Mel Odom, and the recently signed James Cambias for whom we just sold his first novel. We are also proud to represent the estate of Gandalf Grand Master Award winning author Andre Norton.
Our success in this area is not confined to the adult market, either. The agency has negotiated publication deals for young adult fantasies by Karen Miller, Mel Odom, Sharon Shinn, and Ed Willet as well.
We are a very active, successful seller of translation rights with agents in all foreign markets and a track record of approximately fifty new licenses per year. We also successfully license film rights, audio-book rights, e-book rights and rights for publication in the United Kingdom.
The ideal submission for us is an introductory letter, synopsis and the first three chapters of manuscript. We welcome electronic submissions to fantasy@ethanellenberg.com. We also welcome submission by mail with a self-addressed, stamped envelope for response. Please check our website (www.ethanellenberg.com) and follow the submission guidelines carefully.
We remain upbeat, active and committed to the highest standards of professional conduct and representation. We are members in good standing of the Association of Author’s Representatives and consistently receive high marks from all the top professional writers’ organizations. We look forward to your submission.
Sincerely,
Ethan Ellenberg, President Evan Gregory, Associate Agent"
Thanks for letting me know about this Sue. If I were in the market for an agent I would give this a try. But I went onto their website and to be honest it doesn't look like anything diff to what other agencies expect of writers. It's just that they're reaching out to advertise themselves in an Australian market. Can you tell I'm taking an indie author stance already? I have a really hard time justifying forking over my hard earned money to someone else for doing not much at the moment. But I shall pass on the details to my writers group as some of them may be interested.
ReplyDeleteActuslly, I'd be pleased to fork over my money to a good quality agent who could send around my work and do the paperwork, leaving me free to get on with the writing. ;-) Many publishers, especially in the US, won't look at your work except through an agent. Of course, if you make the decision to do your own publishing, that's not a problem. But ask yourself: is it any cheaper to fork over your money to someone to publish your book(vanity press) or to the artist and printer and maybe a freelance editor than to an agent who won't take your book unless it's likely to sell and won't charge you till it does? :-) and it will come out of your advance, not your pocket. If they do charge you in advance, they're not the real thing.
ReplyDeleteAnd this agency is not specifically seeking clients in Australia, it just happened to turn up in the ASIM letterbox. For all I know, these guys aren't even aware we're located here.
Anyway, up to you!
I'm with you, Sue: I'm delighted with what my agent has done for me so far, and suspect that she'll be worth far more than the % of my income that she charges!
ReplyDeleteStephanie @ RIASS
That said, I don't have an agent. I did have one for about six months, once, but she decided to drop her business and get on with her own writing. And she didn't do a lot for me during that short time. - the only printed rejection slip I ever got for that MS was when she submitted it for me. It was very hard to get an agent in those days, clearly not as difficult now as it was, given the number of debut writers, some of them not very good, who nevertheless thank their agents at the start of the book. Those who bothered to respond to my inquires told me their books were full. Either that or that it was like getting a bank loan: if you wanted one you had to prove you didn't need one. They only took on well-known writers who could do lots for their businesses.
ReplyDeleteI did have something better than an agent for my first book, though: a friend who could introduce me to her publishers, to whom I eventually sold three books.
But I can see the advantages. And as a blogger I have had an inquiry from one agent representing a self-published writer! I asked him how this coud be and he said the book was just so good he felt he should. So, perhaps even an "indie" writer can get something out of an agnt.
I looked to the US for mine because there are very few Aussie agents who rep children's lit, and most of them are closed to submissions.
ReplyDeleteIndie authors can get picked up, but it's usually for a new book rather than one that's already been self-published. A self-published book *may* get picked up if it's sold very well--10k copies or more, but those stories are obviously a rarity.
Mine's been wonderful on the editorial side of things, and since my book is going out on sub this week, hopefully she'll be good at the rest of it, too! :)