Re: Agent of the times

**l*@juno.com**

 I'm finding this discussion very interesting, since I worked first with
an agent who was unable to sell my book concept, The Transformational
Power of Gardening
http://loisdevries.blogspot.com/2007/08/transformational-power-of-gardeni
ng.html . I'm doing the rounds now by myself, because agents basically
cannot make enough from their fee when an author is doing either a short
run, or is going with a small press. And that's where I'm at now.

I asked around when I first started shopping my book and found that the
garden writers I knew were all over the map as far as agent/no agent.
Later, I realized what a specialized area garden book publishing is. My
own experience with aquisitions editors is that you have a good chance at
a big publisher as long as someone on staff is really, really interested
in gardening, or gardening books. My book did make it into a handful of
aquisitions meetings, but no brass ring. Because gardening books have so
many photos, the publisher has to feel confident that they can sell a
large press run.

Smaller presses are reluctant to commit to books with a large number of
color images -- they just can't afford it.

I disagree that agents cost money. Mine cost me nothing, I learned a lot
from her, and we parted on good terms. I would go with an agent whenever
I had the option because I'd rather be writing than selling, it's hard to
be your own advocate, and a good one will cover all the bases and get you
a better deal.

How about Betty Mackey or some of the publishing reps weighing in on this
topic?

Regards,
Lois
Visit: http://cultivatingtheinnergardener.blogspot.com
Visit: http://loisdevries.blogspot.com

On Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:47:36 -0400 TC <tc@thewritegardener.com> writes:
> 
> For those of you who've published books: Did you have an agent for 
> your very
> first book?
> 
> TC
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