h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hello chaps

I have been writing a book and it's rather splendid. There is about 50,000 words of it so far, which is about half-way. Many of the words are sensible, cast-iron words like Wyoming and Ambulance. The only problem is getting it published.

Apparently a good step towards this is getting a literary agent. What I want to know is, has anyone any tips on researching what agents would be good for your sort of writing? Or any tips on getting an agent in general?

If any agents out there want to read the first three chapters of this amazingly entertaining opus, please do get in touch and I will send them to you.

Thanks

Binaryboy

Hint the first. No one, literary agent or publisher, is going to be interested in seeing your book until it's *finished*.

Hint the second. Whether or not you really need an agent, and how to go about finding one, are largely dependent on a) what genre your book is (i.e., Western, Romance, Science Fiction, mainstream), and b) what country you live in.


mikey

Hint the third: Actually, most publishers and agents will be more than willing than to look at sample chapters. It's easier to set you right at the early stage than it is if you've turned in 6,000 pages of manuscript...Just make sure that you have a solid outline to accompany your samples-they'll want to know how the story develops and something more about the characters.
Good luck.
Iain Banks sold 'The Wasp Factory' by simply foot slogging round every publisher in London until one of them bought it. Mind you, that's one of the best first novels of the last forty years...

Binaryboy

A very valuable source for the information you are seeking is a handbook called 'The Writer's & Artist's Yearbook'. If you are in the UK, you should be able to obtain the latest 2002 version quite easily. This lists publishers, UK Literary agents, and the genres which they represent.

It is invaluable for advice on submitting yor manuscripts, and who will/won't accept unsolicited manuscripts.

I think that you will find that your manuscript does not have to be 'finished'...normally most interested parties wish to see the first three chapters and a synopsis, before requesting the whole manuscript.

Good luck with your book!

Correction...

I meant "The Writer's and Artist's Handbook" not "yearbook"...

What an odd coincidence! Just after I'd read this thread I got an ICQ spam from someone who goes by the name Lucky Lew. He said he's looking for new and unpublished authors to publish. I directed him here. Don't know if that will be of any help, but good luck, Binaryboy!

Thank you -

I will go and riffle lightly through the pages of the Writers and Artists Yearbook while elegantly eating a cream bun (a new year's resolution from a parallel antimatter universe).

Chin chin

BB