  Fantasy
This week: Edited by: Feywriter  
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"Use the talents you possess, for the woods would be very silent, if no birds sang except the best."
~Henry Van Dyke
“You fail only if you stop writing.”
~Ray Bradbury
“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours.”
~Henry David Thoreau
The world needs fantasy. It can be an escape from daily life, a means for finding the hero within, a landscape to inspire the imagination. Enter the world of Fantasy.
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Two years ago I volunteered for a position as editor for this newsletter. It was a big step outside my comfort zone. I'm so glad I did, though. I've learned so much through my research, presentation, and reader feedback. Thank you for accompanying me on this journey. I am retiring as editor. After over two dozen newsletters, I am running low on ideas. Time for a fresh voice to step in.
When I first started writing, I never considered the idea of having an agent. Through research for my "Invalid Item" I have examined many publisher websites. I also follow blogs of some people in the industry (authors, agents, editors). Now I'm seriously leaning toward targeting an agent first instead of directly querying a publisher. Let me tell you why.
What can an agent do for you?
 Send your manuscript to editors. Not only does it give you access to publishers that do not accept queries from authors, but agents know the editors involved. They know the tastes of those editors, increasing your chances of a good match for your book.
Negotiate more money for you. Research has shown that on average, authors with agents receive higher advances than those without.
Review contracts from publishers. They are very familiar with the legal ins and outs of contracts.
Get you offers from multiple publishers, giving you more options and possibly more money.
Sell other rights such as foreign and movie.
Career planning. An agent is much more stable than an editor. Editors move to different publishing houses, retire, change projects. An agent will be able to follow all that for you and be with you the entire time. They can offer advise on new books, explain industry lingo, and give encouragement.
Guide you through the entire publishing process. After an offer is accepted, there's many more steps until a book is published. Editing, cover design, publicity. An agent can answer questions and help mediate concerns every step of the way.
Makes me wonder why someone wouldn't look for an agent. Especially as a first time author with no experience in the business.
But how do I get an agent?
There are two approaches to getting an agent.
1) Query agents first. Write query letters to agents that represent your genre. If they like your query, they will ask for either a partial or complete manuscript. If they like that, they will offer representation. Then they will begin sending out your manuscript to publishers.
2) Get an offer from a publisher first. If you have a specific publisher you want, or would rather go through the initial process yourself, you are welcome to it. There will be some doors closed to you, but fantasy does have more open to first time authors than most genres. Once you get an offer, you can ask them for some time to think it over. At this point, it is perfectly acceptable to call any agents you are interested in. Let them know you have an offer, and give them a timeframe in which they can look at your manuscript. An agent is much more likely to offer representation at this point, as it's a guaranteed sale. An agent could then step in and negotiate the contract for you, or even suggest turning the original offer down and getting a better deal elsewhere.
Never pay for an agent upfront. A good agent gets paid on commission. They get a percentage of what you make. And that will get taken care of between the editor and the agent, so you're never responsible for the money. The better deal an agent can get you, the more you will both make.
There are plenty of authors who do make it without agents. Go with what approach works best for you. Whichever route you go, research your target before submitting. Be informed. Be prepared.
Some helpful links
Association of Author's Representatives: http://www.aar-online.org
Agent Query: http://www.agentquery.com/
Query Tracker: http://querytracker.net
Writer's Beware list of warning signs and flagged agencies: http://www.sfwa.org/beware/twentyworst.html
** Image ID #1092573 Unavailable **
No publisher spotlight this week, but to illustrate one of my reasons for considering an agent, here are a few fantasy publishers who do not accept unsolicited material:
 Ace and Roc books (or any part of Penguin)
Bantam Spectra Books
Del Rey
Pyr
Berkley Publishing Group
To see previously featured publishers, go to "Invalid Item" . |
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#1456466 by Not Available. |
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This item number is not valid.
#1130749 by Not Available. |
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#1119277 by Not Available. |
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This item number is not valid.
#1035977 by Not Available. |
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
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Reader Comments
From Morgul Priestess :
Interesting newsletter, although I hate all of those creatures.
As far as they are goblins, chimeras, fauns or something at least mythological I don't mind, but I absolutely cannot accept those random hybrids that fantasy authors often create.
To each their own opinion.  I know some people who are tired of the traditional creatures. Write what you love, and there will be an audience for you.
From scribbler :
but what about the fantastic creatures that used to inhbit earth? What about the creatures that became humans (austrolopithicienes) or the ones that didn't quite make the cut (neanderthals)? I think THEY are fantastic AND magical. Don't you agree?
Yes, they are fantastic and magical. There are so many incredible things that used, or still do, inhabit this earth.
From Stripes :
Hi. I recently purchased the Spore Creature Creator. It is really efficient.
From JJ :
Why stop with animals? On some grand series of novels I'll probably never actually start, I'm working on giving the wind a soul, or sorts, or several souls (it's kind of complex).
You could also create some kind of energy or object that transforms living things if they are exposed - in sci-fi, Resident Evil, for example, the T-virus transforms humans AND animals into zombie-like creatures. The Midas (spelling?) touch also turns anything into gold. A more original idea, perhaps, could be a tree with fruits, and any living thing that eats this fruit becomes Earth-like, similar to your horse. And each earth-animal could have different abilities associated with the Earth. The possibilities are endless. Great newsletter!
Thanks! I hadn't thought to see the Midas touch and Resident Evil in the same paragraph, but you do point out a close similarity. You have some great ideas here.
From Nadia Gortova :
I'd never heard of the Lyre Bird before! What an amazing creature. I wish that my imagination was quite that creative. Although, I'm sure that had I thought it up, I would have dismissed it. No one would have believed it!
From Thomas :
I saw that Spore Creature Creator, but I couldn't figure out what it was. I think I need to give it a second look.
From feegreen:
Loved this newsletter, Emerald! Had no idea things like a liger actually existed! Very informative from start to finish. Great links, too!  ~ Cheers, Fee
From nebroc:
Thank you for adding my Fantasy RPG "Kings of Siron" to your Newsletter! I've been trying to get more members and I know that a lot of people read the Fantasy Newsletters.
You're welcome! I hope it brought some new people your way.
From maryelle:
I constantly read the fantasy side of science fiction, but never thought about reading it until I entered the world of WDC.
Thank you for all the comments. Remember to leave feedback or ideas for future newsletters.
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Fantasy: July 30, 2008 Issue [#2526]
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