Our office receives submissions every day, usually seven days a week, from authors hoping for representation. We know sometimes we take longer to respond than we’d like. For our delay, we apologize. We are well aware that writer time moves much more slowly than editor time or agent time. The rate of speed from manuscript submission to publication hasn’t improved much since writers mailed typewritten manuscripts through the U.S. Postal Service. Or, for those garnering inaccurate information from movies, writers driving to their agent’s home to submit a project printed on paper. And, yes, that happened to me once when an aspiring author showed up with a printed fantasy novel weighing in at 500,000 words. Since I wasn’t his agent, I didn’t have to accept the box. Yes, I wrote, “box.” Had I taken the box, I’m not sure I could have lifted it.
Since I wrote books for publication myself, I understand the courage an author needs to undertake the submissions process. I also appreciate the level of anticipation that each submission generates as it goes to parties the author hopes will be interested. I know all about what it’s like to ponder what terms a publishing house might offer. And, sadly, I know that rejections feel like a proverbial kick in the gut. The only aspect of my career that I do not like is that my office must deliver too many gut punches. I wish I could successfully place so many authors that I needed to hire twenty other literary agents to help me. But, alas, there is only so much room at the inn; and, as a result, I must decline many works that truly have worth.
Though we cannot represent every worthy author, we have no proposals to submit to editors without you. So if you are sending a proposal to my office this year, please know that we are grateful you thought of us.
