Looking for new authors

[eellenlit]

Dear readers,
We’re writing to introduce you to The Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency and to let you know we are actively seeking clients in the Science Fiction and Fantasy genres. We are a full service agency, representing writers at every stage of their career.
The agency opened in 1984 and has always had an interest in both genres. We’re privileged to represent a number of top talents in science fiction and fantasy such as John Scalzi, Karen Miller, Sharon Shinn, Gail Z. Martin, Ian Douglas/Bill Keith, Kay Kenyon, Mel Odom, and the recently signed James Cambias for whom we just sold his first novel. We are also proud to represent the estate of Gandalf Grand Master Award winning author Andre Norton.
Our success in this area is not confined to the adult market, either. The agency has negotiated publication deals for young adult fantasies by Karen Miller, Mel Odom, Sharon Shinn, and Ed Willet as well.
We are a very active, successful seller of translation rights with agents in all foreign markets and a track record of approximately fifty new licenses per year. We also successfully license film rights, audio-book rights, e-book rights and rights for publication in the United Kingdom.
The ideal submission for us is an introductory letter, synopsis and the first three chapters of manuscript. We welcome electronic submissions to fantasy@ethanellenberg.com. We also welcome submission by mail with a self-addressed, stamped envelope for response. Please check our website (ethanellenberg.com) and follow the submission guidelines carefully.
We remain upbeat, active and committed to the highest standards of professional conduct and representation. We are members in good standing of the Association of Author’s Representatives and consistently receive high marks from all the top professional writers’ organizations. We look forward to your submission.
Sincerely,
Ethan Ellenberg, President Evan Gregory, Associate Agent

 

[Ursa major]

Just like to say that you really should read their submission guidelines.

For instance, if you're submitting fiction by email, they don't want attachments: they won't even open them. The three parts of the submission - query letter; synopsis; first fifty pages of your manuscript - must be pasted into the body of the email.

 

[chopper]

That's one heck of a roster. Very cool indeed. I hope EE won't mind if I ask a slightly retentive question on behalf of our collected aspirants, however.

The guidelines for typed/printed subs specify double spacing, whereas the guidelines for email subs do not. I'm guessing that as the agency is asking for the sample within the email itself then it doesn't require double spacing (which would look rather inelegant to my mind), but for the benefit of interested Chronners and easily-confused folks such as myself could EE clarify that?

Again though, that's one heck of a roster.

*rushes off to polish query*

 

[Mouse]

Now why do I never have anything even close to being finished when these things come up?

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Generally, chopper, the aesthetics of the formatting is the last thing on an agent's or a publisher's mind when reading a submission. Ease in reading and making notations is much more important.

I don't know if they'll be back to answer your question here, so if they have a message board on their site, you could ask them there. Otherwise, go with double-spacing. If they wanted something different for email submissions, it is highly probable they would have said so.

 

[chopper]

No problem. Cheers, Teresa.

 

[ctg]

I have polished my WiP up to 80 percent and I'm still under 90k. So my concern is that it's too short for a traditionally published book, but just ideal for a e-book format. Am I right?

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

I recall many years ago submitting to them, and from memory they were one of the few that replied with an actual rejection letter. It was polite, but I don't feel the need to receive another one personally. I think I'll just continue as I am - self pubbing and enjoying the ride.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[Ursa major]

You don't have to receive a rejection letter.

By which I mean that if you submit via email, they don't send a rejection letter, presumably because they expect to receive far more email submissions (if only because it's easier - and much cheaper - to send an email than prepare and send a paper submission).

 

[Jake Reynolds]

Well, that's that sent, for what it's worth.

 

[Ursa major]

Good luck with that, Jake.

 

[Jake Reynolds]

I'll say one thing for angry robot, it gave me a quick-to-hand-and-ready-to-send synopsis!

 

[chopper]

it's the query letter part of it that's proving fun for me. good luck Jake!

 

[ctg]

Good Luck Jake.

 

[Tirellan]

Major US agency!

Before you submit to them you might want to have a look at Queryshark (queryshark.blogspot.com) for an idea of how you should construct your query letter if you've not done one before. The US idea of a query letter is very different to a covering letter to a UK agent.

 

[Danrama]

After my tiring search for an agent or a publisher who would accept my unsolicited manuscript I have decided, much to the pleasure of my editor, to do this first book myself through amazon. I have spent a lot of time soul searching over the positives and negatives of this decision and I have come to the conclusion that I can so I will.
In saying this I have my second novel in the series just about ready for a copy edit. My editor wants to start the copy edit but I want to add a few more little tidbits here and there! Would I be able to submit the second novel in a series? Or even the first novel that is about to be published and released independently through Createspace on Amazon?

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I suspect once you've epublished you've probably left it that a publisher woudln't pick it up unless it did a shades of grey and went viral. Even here, on the crits board, it's reccomended we don't go over 10% of the book's length, or it could be deemed to be published online.

As for a second novel - if it's standalone, then maybe. If it's a sequel, I woudln't have thought so. But, I could be wrong.

Interesting thread about the cover letter - I also did a bit of an internet search last night, and it seemed to be conflicting, that whilst some US publishers want the bigger blurb, some want it to be quite short, with just a bit about the book, and use the synopsis for the blurb. Does anyone know what the exact protocol is if querying in America?

 

[The Judge]

Danrama -- I agree with springs. Unless you have written a book which takes off through word of mouth, or the second book stands wholly independent of the the first, I think you've lost your chance of interesting a publisher. If you haven't yet published the first I'd strongly suggest that you put a piece up for critique here before you do so -- it might avoid your making a costly mistake, or it might give you the confidence to continue your self-publishing. (As you're aware you need at least 30 counted posts to put anything in Critiques, though, so it isn't available to you yet.)

 

[Danrama]

The first book is the only one that truly has the capacity as a stand alone. I will be wanting to approach authors and critics here for some feedback certainly either way. It isn't like these will be the only books I will ever write and I can always use a pen-name to hide my previous independent publishing shame if things go badly. I think I will continue with plunging into the murky depths of the amazon world.

p.s. Springs, I suppose I will have to try this fifty shades of grey. I do have a flight from Australia to Finland in a week...

 

[The Judge]

I may be misreading your post, but you won't be able to put any part of Book One up in Critiques once it's published -- the forum is for unpublished work only. As to your hope for others here to give feedback on the entire book once it is published... we rather value reciprocity, so your chances are greater if you prove yourself to be an active, helpful member.