Started without an agent, now looking

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This may be more of an informaton-gathering post than a solicitation for an agent (although happy to hear from agents!!!) I did the first book in my series without an agent, and it's doing well considering this is a small house. They've asked for book 2. They saw the entire series overview before they said yes on the first book but now are mentioning that they've never done a series longer than 3 books (mine is Cool

. The books also get a little longer down the road than this house typically handles. My question is basically, if you've started a series with one house, is an agent likely to want to represent you if you decide you want representation *on this series* down the line? This house is probably too small for an agent to bother with, but I would not say no to jumping ship (bad editorial experience on the first book, not a whole lot of help with publicity, concerned about having to change houses down the line anyway due to the length of the series, etc; on the other hand, they do seem fairly loyal to their authors, which not all houses are.) Any advice on this one?

Subject: Re: Started without an agent, now looking Fri Feb 29, 2008 10:54 am

I'm sorry you got no replies, minissa. I don't have any experience in this type of issue, or I would have commented earlier.
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Subject: Re: Started without an agent, now looking Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:35 am

To be perfectly honest...

It depends on the quality of the work in question!

We would be honored to read some of your work. If it's the right fit for a company, then the "series" part shouldn't be an issue. Please let us know if we can help any further?
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Subject: Re: Started without an agent, now looking Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:56 am

In your position I would probably do what I always do: the wrong thing.

But seriously, I would have a heart2heart with your current house. You have a series, you don't want it chopped off. It's doing wel, which means it will do better yet as it progresses, building fan base.
You want them to commit to the series or you will have to go elsewhere. See what they say.
I'd say if they aren't idiots, they'll go with you. (The three books thing is arbitrary, citing it as a "law" indicates some problems)

Ideally, you're better off with all your stuff at one publisher because they don't want to make the committment to publicizing a writer if it's just benefitting their competitors. But a smaller house might not have much promo budget anyway. Still, it's tidier to have the line together. Perhaps your contract with them permits pulling the first book if you establish the series elsewhere.

I would run this by agents anyway, shotgun a querie to as many as accept email queries for a start. The fact that you are published and have good sales might get the right agent to think you're ready to move up to a bigger outfit where there IS a decent commission.

Good luck
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Joined : 16 Jan 2008 Posts : 5 Location : Utah, USA

Just updating, and thanks for replies (was waiting for what a lot of boards do, inform you if you have a new post). Although I haven't yet seen the contract, they've now offered on the entire series with the thought of putting it out one book every six months starting fall or next spring. However, short runs, small pub budget, etc. I've found places abroad who will take my first book that they haven't acted on, and despite a switch from Baker & Taylor to Fitzhenry and Whiteside (this theoretically lets us dist through Ingram's), they're saying F&W aren't helping significantly more than B&T (whom everyone seems to hate right now, to be fair). Certainly yes on the next one, maybe two books, but wouldn't mind some help down the road.

Thanks for your comments all.

Subject: Re: Started without an agent, now looking Sat Apr 12, 2008 8:05 pm

One book every six months sounds great, but, if they don't help with publicity, why would you want to stay there? Loyalty to their authors doesn't mean very much if they do nothing else. Most of us on this forum has had experience with one publisher who printed our books but did nothing else. Not a good thing.

Personally, I'd send the queries to agents and if one or more bites, tell them the story. If you've already signed with the publisher, perhaps an agent could negotiate for your rights and sell the entire series to a publisher who would do something better.

Of course that's only one option. It's your call.
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