What An Agent Wants

A while back I worked with a client who writes clean fiction - no profanity, no graphic sex, etc, and I discovered this agent. She handles Christian fiction as well as other genres.

While reading her requirements, and I realize most agents have their own preferences, I thought some of you might find her site interesting. She includes samples of queries, proposals, and links to other sites as well:

http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2009/01/what-women-want.html

Interesting Brenda.
Restrictions on content is important to know in advance and saves time on both ends.

It is good that she makes it clear she is interested in Christian oriented material.
It brings to mind a conversation I had with a librarian a while back. She said no one ever reads the books of Louis Bromfield these days even though he was from this area and his home, Malabar Farm, is a state-operated tourist site. Bogart and Bacall were married there. So why aren't his outstanding books read today? She said, "No explicit sex."
Sad.

cc

I like it, Domenic. Very good.

cc

I agree, with the exception that some adult book themes do require more graphic description for the intensity of that moment; not for the purpose of appealing to the prurient side but because of the story. I have a rape scene in one book that is essential to the entire shape of that person's life choices. There is no "G" rating for rape no matter how delicate the writing.

I just finished reading a book that had many sexual scenes, without graphic description, that were as sensual as could be expressed. Through the book, though, they grew in intensity until the last chapter (actually to my disappointment) was graphic. Until then, the book was rich with mystical romance that had a beauty of its own.

Good scene, Domenic.

I loved the imagery in the movies from the fifties. A sex scene would show the man and woman embracing in the bedroom, then the camera would swing to the door, then to ocean waves crashing on the beach. So innocent, so effective.

Which book, DK? One of the turning points in Ten Times Guilty was a sexual assault, but no tender sex. I tried tender loving sex in Beyond the Quiet, and enjoyed writing it. My wip is a thriller with little sex and certainly not graphic like in Beyond. I think it depends on the genre.

I agree, Abe. One of the things agents talk about at conferences is all the queries they receive for genres they do not represent.

For a while, Dick, it seemed that every book I picked up had explicit sex. I loved it at first, but like a triple X rated movie, it got old - and boring. Give me a plain ol’ well-written love scene with a special look, a touch, a whispered word, and I’m happy.

But I thought the site was interesting for all the other info as well.

Brenda,

Thanks for the link! I followed it and spent hours there last night. Some of the info I already knew or used. Other info taught me new things. I have bookmarked the site.

Thanks again!

Wow, she is certainly specific. That is a good thing.

cturkel,

At last a meeting of the minds. The PA authors would like to be read also.
If you desire to be read, please point us to what you have written.

We will gladly oblige you.

Thanks!

Glad it could help, Sue.

That she is, Chris, and it's good to know. But I'm glad not every agent is that selective.

Alice wrote:

cturkel,

At last a meeting of the minds. The PA authors would like to be read also.
If you desire to be read, please point us to what you have written.

We will gladly oblige you.

Thanks!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Messiah-Christopher-Turkel/dp/1905166451


http://www.amazon.com/World-at-Edge-Time/dp/140105384X

The World at the Edge of Time was edited by Kathy Kehrli:

http://www.theflawlessword.com/about.htm

At the bottom of Chris' post:

Very, very few people write in order to get rich. Despite the common slander by PA Believers against "bashers," mostly we just want to be read. -- James Macdonald

Ah, we have come to some common ground. But the slander didn't begin with the believers. And we are pretty realistic, we just want to be read, Chris.

Thanks for the info, Shelagh.

Carol Troestler wrote:

At the bottom of Chris' post:



Ah, we have come to some common ground. But the slander didn't begin with the believers. And we are pretty realistic, we just want to be read, Chris.

Yes, exactly. I thought the quote perfectly sums up why we write. And why some PA kool-aid drinkers totally miss this point.

I don't understand Mr. Macdonald's comment. What are PA "believers," exactly? What does he mean by "slander..against "bashers"? Do these "believers" all believe that Mr. Macdonald and his cohorts write in order to get rich? How does he know that?

That statement is so full of assumptions that I can't make any sense of it.

Ann

cturkel,


You are a publisher?

Ludicrous!

Do you pay yourself a large advance?

How many years did you write and rewrite?

Who publicizes your work?

Xlibris--You have got to be kidding--You are a sick joke.

Were your books in bookstores?

alj wrote:

I don't understand Mr. Macdonald's comment. What are PA "believers," exactly? What does he mean by "slander..against "bashers"? Do these "believers" all believe that Mr. Macdonald and his cohorts write in order to get rich? How does he know that?

That statement is so full of assumptions that I can't make any sense of it.

Ann

Perhaps if you read it again, slowly, it might help.

Alice wrote:

cturkel,

At last a meeting of the minds. The PA authors would like to be read also.
If you desire to be read, please point us to what you have written.

We will gladly oblige you.

Thanks!

There you go again, using the royal 'we.' Please remember you do not speak for everyone on this forum.

alj wrote:

I don't understand Mr. Macdonald's comment. What are PA "believers," exactly? What does he mean by "slander..against "bashers"? Do these "believers" all believe that Mr. Macdonald and his cohorts write in order to get rich? How does he know that?

That statement is so full of assumptions that I can't make any sense of it.
Ann

The original quote was: Very, very few people write in order to get rich. Despite the common slander by PA Believers against "bashers," mostly we just want to be read. -- James Macdonald

I was shortening the statement to:
Very, very few people write in order to get rich. . .Mostly we just want to be read.

That makes lots of sense, but does make me question why so many pages against PA. And why the extremes of "believers" and "bashers?" And why do we constantly hear how we can all become rich and have our books in bookstores?

What is, is. But we can add to the reasons for writing that the words need to be written, that we have stories to tell.

Why so much writing on this subject? (And right now I am guilty of this also.)

What we need to be writing about is the future of reading, the future of writing, how to get some of the excellent non-traditionally published books in the hands of readers and on the shelves of stores.

But the common ground is nice to see. The reality is spoken in that sentence if we take out all the extras that mean nothing.

I don't understand PA Kool-aid drinkers. I will use the first person plural in this sense because everyone here is pretty realistic about the whole experience. We made friends. We learned about publishing.

Love, Carol

Sorry, I posted the same message twice.

Oh Most Exalted Writer, Brenda,

Please forgive , if you can, my capital offense.

I aim to do only what you wish.

Thank you for your kind correction.

Carol, you said:

"But the common ground is nice to see. The reality is spoken in that sentence if we take out all the extras that mean nothing."

So true. Thanks for breaking it down to the basics.

Brenda,

Thank you for giving me a vision. Only you know the truth--you are the only educated one.

My mother with her three college degrees knew nothing. My daughter with her three college degrees and position of teaching writing to PhD candidates knows nothng.

Thank goodness you are here to show me how to write and how to behave.

I am nearly 62 years old --How did I live so long without your help?