Libby, that really is frustrating. I've read quite a number of blog posts on this subject, including one from agent Jessica Faust at Book Ends LLC.
Most agents who've blogged about this topic seem to feel that in order to take on a client who already has a deal in hand, they need to believe the author has a very long (and lucrative) career ahead of them. Small deals aren't worth it for them, since they'll have to spend just as much time on a client bringing in $5,000/year as they will a client who brings in $50,000.
This is not to say that you've made a small deal (I don't know) or that you don't have a long career ahead of you (I certainly hope you do!), I'm just paraphrasing what these various agents have written.
And David, I know that my new agent, Dan Lazar, is always looking for new clients, including writers of HF. I believe these agents are as well:
Anna Ghosh
Russ Galen
David Forrer
Kim Witherspoon
Nathan Bransford
I really can't recommended Publishers Marketplace highly enough as a resource for this kind of research. While it's definitely true that agents don't want something too similar to what a client of theirs is already producing, there's always room if a novel is spectacular (read fresh, marketable, and well-written) enough!
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Historical Fiction Agents/Publishers
- michellemoran
- Bibliophile
- Posts: 1186
- Joined: August 2008
- Contact:
Last edited by michellemoran on Tue January 12th, 2010, 10:32 pm, edited 4 times in total.
- cw gortner
- Bibliophile
- Posts: 1288
- Joined: September 2008
- Location: San Francisco,CA
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My agent Jennifer Weltz at Jean Naggar Literary Agency, Inc. is always open to historical fiction. You can learn more about her here.
THE QUEEN'S VOW available on June 12, 2012!
THE TUDOR SECRET, Book I in the Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles
THE CONFESSIONS OF CATHERINE DE MEDICI
THE LAST QUEEN
www.cwgortner.com
THE TUDOR SECRET, Book I in the Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles
THE CONFESSIONS OF CATHERINE DE MEDICI
THE LAST QUEEN
www.cwgortner.com
To echo Michelle ...
Back in my youth, I briefly considered going to law school. One day, I was bemoaning how flooded the job market was with lawyers when my daddy brought me up short. "There's always room for one more," he said, "if you're good enough."
I think that advice is easily applicable to writing. Talent and persistence do pay off.
I think that advice is easily applicable to writing. Talent and persistence do pay off.
Michelle & CW, thanks for the tips. After some query and ms revision I restarted querying last week and have several rejections already, but 3 requests for partials, so that's great.
I will research the agents you mentioned with an eye to querying them.
Thanks again,
Dave
I will research the agents you mentioned with an eye to querying them.
Thanks again,
Dave
A STORM HITS VALPARAISO - Historical novel set in 1800s South America. Read first chapter at: http://www.davidgaughran.com
- cw gortner
- Bibliophile
- Posts: 1288
- Joined: September 2008
- Location: San Francisco,CA
- Contact:
Best of luck, Dave. Let us know how it goes.
THE QUEEN'S VOW available on June 12, 2012!
THE TUDOR SECRET, Book I in the Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles
THE CONFESSIONS OF CATHERINE DE MEDICI
THE LAST QUEEN
www.cwgortner.com
THE TUDOR SECRET, Book I in the Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles
THE CONFESSIONS OF CATHERINE DE MEDICI
THE LAST QUEEN
www.cwgortner.com
Thanks I will do
A STORM HITS VALPARAISO - Historical novel set in 1800s South America. Read first chapter at: http://www.davidgaughran.com
- michellemoran
- Bibliophile
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- Joined: August 2008
- Contact:
- Anna Elliott
- Compulsive Reader
- Posts: 579
- Joined: March 2009
Yes, good luck, Dave! We'll all be keeping our fingers crossed for you and waiting to hear how it goes!
Author of the Twilight of Avalon trilogy
new book: Dark Moon of Avalon, coming Sept 14 from Simon &Schuster (Touchstone)
http://www.annaelliottbooks.com