Being an author can be an intense and frustrating job, particularly when that “job” leaves you unemployed. It often takes years to perfect a manuscript and it is only then that you discover it will take even more years to find an agent. So, as one author to another, I impart the following things I’ve learned and implore you for advice on the things I have not. I have learned…
The query letter is the most important one page you will ever write…and here I thought it would be the first page of my novel! How foolish I was in my youth. It is possible to get an editor without an agent but the odds are slim to none and if you do, by some miracle of alignment amongst the stars, you will most likely get a lower advance then you would with the help of an agent. Still, if you decide to seek out an editor, I recommend you submit to agents at the same time. You will also have better luck with both agents and editors if you meet them in person or have some sort of connection. Writing conventions are the best way to accomplish this if you are new to the publishing industry.
It is also nearly impossible to get an agent. Yes, I am aware this seems hopeless but there is hope which is why I used the word “almost”. It is possible to get an agent but you first need to understand some things about agents which will prepare you for approaching them.
