Folks Subbing to Agents: Get Your Skates On!

[Katie-Ellen]

http://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/news/curtis-brown-and-conville-walsh-launch-pitchcb

 

[Nicole Wilson]

HOLY CRAP! Curtis Brown is like one of the agencies to get into, at least in the US. This is freakin awesome. Thanks for posting this!

 

[Katie-Ellen]

TOMORROW. Just spotted on Twitter.

 

[Jason Byrne]

HOLY CRAP! Curtis Brown is like one of the agencies to get into, at least in the US. This is freakin awesome. Thanks for posting this!

Hell yeah it is — I've submitted to three of their agents, over the past four months.

 

[Jason Byrne]

TOMORROW. Just spotted on Twitter.

Now, it says, "please tweet your pitch no more than once... agents will be reading every pitch." Does that mean one should pitch only once, or pitch many times, but don't duplicate any of them?

 

[Nicole Wilson]

Now, it says, "please tweet your pitch no more than once... agents will be reading every pitch." Does that mean one should pitch only once, or pitch many times, but don't duplicate any of them?

Sounds to me like you only pitch once total.

 

[Nicole Wilson]

Hell yeah it is — I've submitted to three of their agents, over the past four months.

Be careful about this. Most agencies I've seen say not to pitch to more than one agent at their agency because they will pass an interesting query to the other agents if they don't feel it's right for them. A no from one is a no from all. Some even say that if you do submit to more than one, it'll be trashed. I'm not sure what Curtis Brown's rules are specifically, but you should check that to be sure.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Like Nicole, I would take that as one tweet only. One pitch, one tweet. In for a penny, in for a pound.

I really wouldn't worry if one or the other CB agent sent a 'no' before. This is an open event and I don't see any rule saying, never, ever darken our door again.

 

[Bernard Stacey]

I read this as only tweeting your book's pitch once. If you have a second book ready as well, then you can tweet that too.

 

[Jason Byrne]

Sounds to me like you only pitch once total.

Like Nicole, I would take that as one tweet only. One pitch, one tweet. In for a penny, in for a pound.

I really wouldn't worry if one or the other CB agent sent a 'no' before. This is an open event and I don't see any rule saying, never, ever darken our door again.

I read this as only tweeting your book's pitch once. If you have a second book ready as well, then you can tweet that too.

I took it that way too; I just didn't want to cut myself off at the knees if it turned out you could actually put out several. I'll pick out the best one from #Pit2pub...

Doesn't say anything about genre hashtags, like #YA #A #SFF etc...

 

[Jason Byrne]

Be careful about this. Most agencies I've seen say not to pitch to more than one agent at their agency because they will pass an interesting query to the other agents if they don't feel it's right for them. A no from one is a no from all. Some even say that if you do submit to more than one, it'll be trashed. I'm not sure what Curtis Brown's rules are specifically, but you should check that to be sure.

I wondered about this also, but it doesn't say anywhere, one way or the other.

 

[Carol Rose]

Doesn't say anything about genre hashtags, like #YA #A #SFF etc...

No, but it does have this one: #PitchCB so I'd use that to make sure they see it. Good luck!!

 

[Jason Byrne]

No, but it does have this one: #PitchCB so I'd use that to make sure they see it. Good luck!!

Yupyupyup. And thank you!

 

[Katie-Ellen]

The two agents say via their links what they are currently interested in seeing.

 

[Jason Byrne]

The two agents say via their links what they are currently interested in seeing.

Whew, you scared me there. I'm good. Rebecca Ritchie looks for historical fiction and exotic settings. Richard Pike in particular likes debut authors, and a speculative/fantastical edge.

And this guy is one of his authors.

I think I can hang with this guy.

Also these guys.

 

[Emurelda]

What is the difference between tweeting and just submitting here:

http://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/submissions/submit/

Why not just submit directly? Am I missing something?

 

[Nicole Wilson]

What is the difference between tweeting and just submitting here:

http://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/submissions/submit/

Why not just submit directly? Am I missing something?

Tweeting is less stressful?

 

[Jason Byrne]

What is the difference between tweeting and just submitting here:

http://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/submissions/submit/

Why not just submit directly? Am I missing something?

And you'll get an immediate response tomorrow, if they're interested. And if you submit based upon their interest, they already know it's something of which they'd like to see more.

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Generally they don't like you pitching to multiple agents, so watch that one. Haven't had any luck with either, although I haven't tried Conville Walsh for more than a year, so I might try them with one I haven't sent before. Thanks for the link.

 

[Emurelda]

Tweeting is less stressful?

I guess so but same submission process with an extra addition.

 

[Nicole Wilson]

Whew, you scared me there. I'm good. Rebecca Ritchie looks for historical fiction and exotic settings. Richard Pike in particular likes debut authors, and a speculative/fantastical edge.

And this guy is one of his authors.

I think I can hang with this guy.

Also these guys.
View attachment 235

They do also say:

- The events are open to unpublished authors looking for agent representation. Fiction and non-fiction submissions, of any genre, are welcomed.​

So for the rest of us, don't hesitate to submit, even if it's not what those agents typically look for.

 

[Graham H Miller]

So... Twitter is an open platform yes? I wonder if there's a sense of honour among the agents(!) or if, when Monday rolls around, the other agents will be scanning through the hashtags looking for un-favourited tweets that they like enough to represent? Or even try to poach or get in a bidding war?

Hmmm....

Graham

 

[Emurelda]

There's only so much you can reveal in 140 characters.

But I'll give it a go.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

There's only so much you can reveal in 140 characters.

But I'll give it a go.

Emurelda! Lovely to 'see you'

 

[Kitty]

I'll keep an eye out and give you a RT if I spot any of you. Good luck!

(Goodness there are some weirdos on there favouriting pitches that are most certainly not agents!)

 

[Steven McC]

Emergency advice needed! I've just joined Twitter to do this but can't seem to get my tweet to appear on the PitchCB timeline, despite using the hashtag in my tweet. What am I doing wrong?

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Nothing. It will be there. Use the hashtag, then when that stream opens click on an option at the top saying LIVE, Steven.

 

[Steven McC]

I've done that Katie-Ellen and it's not showing. Could it be because I've literally just joined? I suppose there's always next month...

 

[Steven McC]

Well, I had to set up a whole new account to finally get it to work. There's an hour of my life down the drain!

Unless... (fingers crossed so painfully they're close to dislocating)

 

[Katie-Ellen]

What's your twitter handle, Steven?