Poll for writers who've sold a book

[sartorias]

This is to help out megancrewe (whose Give Up the Ghost comes out in a couple of weeks--I just inhaled this book, the voice was so nifty, and the way she wove the ghosts in so different and wonderful).

Megan is examining the theory that you need connections in order to publish. So if you've sold a book, please take the poll--and there is a space below to

Comments

[lwe]

I'm always tempted to respond to polls like this, but I rarely do, because my own experiences simply aren't relevant anymore. I sold my first novel completely cold -- no connections, no agents, no workshops, no recommendations, no contacts of any kind, just sent it to Del Rey and they bought it.

But that was in 1979, more than thirty years ago, and the business is very, very different now.

Despite the differences, though, I've always been very suspicious of the whole networking thing, and the theory that one must have an agent. I'm interested to see that agents really aren't as necessary, even now, as some folks claim.

[sartorias]

I think definitions of "necessary" vary--some need the agent to negotiate. Some need them to make heads or tails of contracts. Others to do the horrible marketing that they dread so much. Some rely on their agents as beta readers.

[green_knight]

I have connections. Short of having a multi-published writer in the family, or being best friends with an editorI don't see how I could have better connections. I have these connections because writers, as a rule, are cool to hang out with, sharing a wide range of interests, and don't roll their eyes when you want to talk about writing

[aberwyn]

There are books about how to get published in the public libraries. For free. I read some of them, got the first agent I queried, and she then sold my books.

My point? The information a person needs to get published is not hidden by secret cabals. It's readily available if you look in the obvious places, libraries and bookstores. I am always amazed by how many would-be writers don't think of this. Come to think of it, a lot of useful information is online nowadays too.

But still, what counts most of all is writing a good book, as Green Knight points out. There is free information available on how to do this, too. :-)

[marycatelli]

Well, I posted the link on SFF.net. May get some more datapoints from there.

As for me, I think I'm about to try submitting to a publisher. I find it a lot easier figuring out what imprints might be interested than what agents.

[sartorias]

burger_eater was pretty systematic about selling his book, and it sure worked for him. Recently, too.

[onegrapeshy]

I found my agent via cold querying, though she was not the original agent I queried--my query was passed on to her by the one I did query.

Great poll, thanks.

[sartorias]

:-)