7/9/09

Even the best agents can struggle.

This truly blows my mind, but is an indication of the publishing industry. There's this author I know through WDC - she's literally one of the first folks I interacted with and pointed me in a number of good directions. She writes awesome, and I mean truly fantastic science fiction, both novels & short stories. She's had her shorts published in real print magazines. She has a following of sorts as well.

This awesome writer got signed by a very well known, well respected, big time New York agent.

It's been two and a half years, and no interest from any publishers.

Can you believe it? All I can say is.... Damn.

You spend years trying to get an agent, and then the economy just plain tanks. The big houses are being incredibly selective. At BEA this year, word was many houses are looking for so-called can't miss books. Celebrity-penned books are in with big advances. Of course, when are they never in?

I think I'm going to start looking at the smaller publishers.

By the way, if you're still curious about the difference between YA & Middle Grade, here's another good link. But, I love this one on Literary Lab, courtesy of Tess Hilmo.

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