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McAnally's (The Community Pub) => Author Craft => Topic started by: meg_evonne on March 19, 2009, 03:22:01 PM
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read my publisher's marketplace deal tracker and the YA that i've been rushing to complete ASAP by 4.15.09 just had one of the agents that i admire post a trilogy sell (significant-$) very similar to mine. :-( Of course there are huge differences, but enough to be close cousins. Jut how much will a particular agent take on that is close to the same sort, do you think?
There was little chance he'd sign the book anyway, but I guess I should be positive that someone is currently selling similar style....
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*HUGS* Look on the sunny side. You know your work is good!
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From what I understand, most entertainment businesses (movies, t.v., and videogames as well as book publishing) are all about this kind of thing. We can deride it as "copycat" or "Me, too" but you might see it as a logical extension of 'genres'.
Think of it this way: If you're trying to publish a fantasy book, you don't send a query letter to an agent who specializes in mysteries, unless your fantasy book has a very strong mystery element to it. Similarly, if you happen to be writing a book with a "look and feel" that is similar to something already on the market, you might get a better reception if you query an agent who has already marketed something like that.
It's a delicate balance, definitely more art than science, but that's part of the *ahem* agony and ecstacy of being a professional artist: it's hard and ugly work that may come to nothing, but it might... just might... take you further than you ever dreamed.
I mean, a certain Ms. Rowling could certainly agree to that sentiment...
Good luck, regardless!