Researching Literary Agents

Good lord, I thought my 25 page thesis was a jaunt in the world of searching, researching, and searching again.

After all the advice I have read about finding the right fit of an agent, I am unbelievably grateful that at least 3/5 of those advisers warned me that it would be beyond daunting. But hopefully, in the end, it will be well worth it.

Best find on writing I have done this month - Writer's Digest's Novel & Short Story Writer's Market.

I had been putting it off as an odd reward for finishing my first 80,000 word manuscript draft (well in all seriousness it's the third but I reworked the POV/narrator so much I can't honestly count it as such). So I eagerly stomped into my local bookstore with my toddler in tow and picked it up.

For $27 bucks, it's my best reward yet. I haven't been able to put it down and I am amazed at all of its information. I know for a fact of a few writer friends that are more than welcome to borrow it - in fact, I will probably make them read it by tying them to a chair and gagging them until they've reaped every bit of information from it.

A sort of system I devised, involved ranking literary agents (I am going the agent route) by what I was looking for and I was sort of impressed with my results.

I made a list of everything I wanted in an agent - I wanted them to take new writers, preferably be a member of an association, be American (since I am cheap with postage), accept genres I have or want to write in, allow simultaneous queries (the process is long enough), and have experience (helpful but ultimately not as highly ranked as some of my other requirements). Then I became OCD and composed a grade for each possible agent that fit at least THREE requirements (30% score).

I am happy to say that with a grade of C+ (65%) or better compatibility with myself there were 17 agencies. So now, much to the angst of my sore rear, I am sitting pouring through those 17 agencies' websites looking at if they will really fit me and what their process is.

It's a good thing I love writing and an even better thing I am a writer for the characters I've found roaming my head than for fame - because dear lord they were right when they said writing the words was one-third of the work.

Now, does anyone know of a good butt massaging pad and a quick pick-me-up drink that is relatively inexpensive and fast to make? I have 12 agencies down, 5 more to go ... and I've lost all feeling in my right...well...you know.