1. Garball

    Garball Banned Contributor

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2013
    Messages:
    2,827
    Likes Received:
    1,337
    Location:
    S'port, LA

    Broad (or Different) Genres and Agents

    Discussion in 'Agent Discussion' started by Garball, Jun 12, 2013.

    It is about that time where I am ready to abandon my first novel and try to get it published through an agent. It is character driven literary fiction with supernatural and horror aspects. My next two projects include a creature horror and a sci-fi(esque) historical fiction (no horror at all but lots of philosophy).

    If my first work is deemed marketable and I get an agent, would that same agent represent all of my fiction? Does it just fall under the umbrella of speculative fiction?
     
  2. EdFromNY

    EdFromNY Hope to improve with age Supporter Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2010
    Messages:
    5,101
    Likes Received:
    3,203
    Location:
    Queens, NY
    My understanding is that once you have an agent, your contract with that agent only covers the specific work being represented. Upon writing something new, you would naturally (assuming that your initial contract worked out to your mutual satisfaction) look to the same agent, but it would be yet another contract. Writers and agents do tend to develop long term business relationships, but they are not etched in stone.
     
  3. EmmaWrite

    EmmaWrite Member

    Joined:
    Jun 12, 2013
    Messages:
    62
    Likes Received:
    6
    Location:
    Minnesota
    Many agents represent multiple genres. I would suggest searching for agents under the genre of your first book and then seeing what other genres an agent represents before sending them a query.
     
  4. mammamaia

    mammamaia nit-picker-in-chief Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2006
    Messages:
    19,150
    Likes Received:
    1,034
    Location:
    Coquille, Oregon
    first of all, with horror/supernatural content, it wouldn't be considered 'literary' which isn't a genre to begin with... so you have to query only agents who rep horror/supernatural...

    for historical fiction you will have to query other agents, if you're lucky enough to have gotten an agent for the first book and s/he doesn't want to rep that genre... if you do have an agent at that time, s/he'd most likely recommend you to others who might take it on...
     
  5. Garball

    Garball Banned Contributor

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2013
    Messages:
    2,827
    Likes Received:
    1,337
    Location:
    S'port, LA
    So does that mean works like A Christmas Carol are merely speculative fiction? If so, I guess I am a spec-fiction author.
     
  6. mammamaia

    mammamaia nit-picker-in-chief Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2006
    Messages:
    19,150
    Likes Received:
    1,034
    Location:
    Coquille, Oregon
    i didn't say anything about spec-fic... besides which, that's not a genre... it's a broad umbrella under which there still exist all the regular genres, so you'll still need to find agents who rep horror/supernatural genre fiction...
     
  7. jannert

    jannert Retired Mod Supporter Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2013
    Messages:
    17,674
    Likes Received:
    19,889
    Location:
    Scotland
    VERY interesting article, featuring publishers and agents discussing what is 'literary fiction.' It's one of those undefinables, apparently, although these folks do seem to recognise it when they find it!

    http://www.writing-world.com/fiction/literary.shtml
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice