Literary Agent---Marketing?

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   Ken R. Abellposted 13 years ago

   Does anyone have an in with a literary agent?
   
   Or suggestions on who to contact? Or how to better market a book?
   
   My first book is published & is doing fairly well, I think. I've received good to great feedback from people I know & also from strangers.
   
   BUT as always, the business & marketing aspect of the writing process is a mystery & frustration to me.
   
   I have contacted close to fifty agents, with zero success,  mostly receiving form replies.
   
   Anyway, I'm on the road just now & likely won't be online again for a few days, but I certainly will appreciate any input, suggestions or directions offered.
   
   Thank you.

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      Chaotic Chicaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I'm still looking for a publicist so I can't help but I'd like to say congratulations and good luck!

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2. 67

   sugzposted 13 years ago

   there's hundreds of agents online and heaps of places that accept unsolicited publications.
   
   i've thrown a few together for new authors wanting to make that break.. Self-Publish
   
   among them are these two..
   
   Get Published Free
   
   I Can't Get Published
   
   
   i hope they help
   
   as for the marketing..
   1. create your own website and advertise your books on it.
   2. create a blog in places like Twitter
   3. advertise on eBay
   
   there are also a few other sites i have been looking into lately that i will happily give you the links for as i hunt them down.. good luck and i hope i've been able to help even a little

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   psycheskinnerposted 13 years ago

   I literary agent sells you manuscript to a publisher.  If your book is already published I am not sure what they could do for you.

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      sugzposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      i wondered that too, but checked up on it, they can refer your book to a publisher for mass production as opposed to having to market it yourself. although they do ask what you intend to do towards the marketing etc.
      agents often will refer books that have been self published as it shows the writer is totally commited to their work. it just speeds up the process

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         psycheskinnerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         They help with marketing the book they helped you place with a publisher, because they get 15% of what you earn from it.
         
         Once the book is published you need to hire a publicist and pay them an hourly fee (or some other kind of fee).
         
         Self-publishing is much more likely to kill the process than speed it up because it uses up your first publishing rights.

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   DonnaCSmithposted 13 years ago

   If your book is already published then unless you've written a second book I don't understand why you are looking for an agent. Did you self-publish and now want to go with a traditional publisher. That will make it a hard sell for an agent.
   
   The Writers Market lists agents as well as publishers. another good resource is the Association of Authors Representative. Go to http://aaronline.org/ for their info.

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   Website Examinerposted 13 years ago

   I second what others have been saying: Once published, finding a literary agent / publisher for that book becomes a lot harder. An exception would be if the book has generated quite many sales. Publishing contracts often include a clause that the work has not previously been published in book format.
   
   So the way forward, it seems, is to stick with the program and learn to market the book properly.

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