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Distracting Myself while Waiting for WOTF Results

There’s no word yet from the Writers and Future Contest. I’m not expecting anything too soon, as they are quite busy with their Writers of the Future 25th Anniversary Edition coffee table book. Word will come, I think it’s just going to take a little longer this quarter.

On the other hand, I’m getting close to looking for agents to represent my first novel, EVE320. I’ve gone through a completely new ending, revised, and polished the manuscript a number of times. We’ll see if anyone bites on a query letter next month.

Speaking of looking for agents, I recently bought Jeff Herman’s Guide to Book Publishers, Editors & Literary Agents 2010. I found about 20 agents who are actively looking for Science Fiction (that only includes the ones that say they are specifically looking for Science Fiction. It doesn’t include any that say they are looking for “Adult Novels” or “Genre Fiction” unless they specifically mention the words “Science Fiction.”) That’s my first-pass criteria for sending query letters.

On another occasion, I looked at the Writer’s Digest Guide to Literary Agents. Afterward, I was glad I bought the Jeff Herman book instead. There’s an index in the Wrtier’s Digest book that lists genres and agents looking for that genre, but it lists only 6 agents who are looking for Science Fiction. Heck, even the Donald Maass Literary Agency wasn’t even listed in the index, and his profile in that exact same book practically begged for Science Fiction! The Jeff Herman’s Guide to Book Publishers, Editors & Literary Agents 2010 looks like a much better purchase.

My editor suggested I look at agentquery.com as well. They list 116 agents looking for Science Fiction, but many of the agencies aren’t listed in Jeff Herman’s guide. That kinda scares me. Also, it lists multiple agents at the same agency who are all looking for Science Fiction. I’m wondering how I would choose between them? Or, should I send multiple queries to the same agency, but to different people. That seems kinda foolish…

I’ll keep you all informed on my search.

– Brennan Harvey

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