Quick advice regarding agency submissions

[Howard]

I'm currently in the process of submitting one of my completed books in the hope of getting representation, but I have a few concerns.

Concern one. The genre of the novel I am submitting. Stating the genre of your work is clearly important, but in this instance, I am loathe to do so. The book Sonnet & Calhoone: Demon Hunters is, at first blush, either Sci-Fi or Steampunk, but I am not certain I should pitch it as either. Firstly, Steampunk is one of those mayfly genres that is so in and out of vogue it is hard to keep up, and I don't want my book getting ignored because of it. Secondly, while the premise - the background - of the story is those things, the meat of the book is more like a buddy western. It is very light hearted, filled with gags and action and, while it is set in an alternate timeline 19th Century London, the focus is not on the anachronistic nature of the period (though that is a background theme) but rather on the characters themselves and their interplay.

Concern two. This is by far the shortest thing I have written, so I have to ask: is 70,000 words enough for a novel?

Smaller final point: when contacting agents, it is obviously far better to research the agency and find the agent you want to submit to, but I am coming across quite a few examples in which the agency only has a submissions@ourplace.com address and the agents do not specify what they are after. So, in those cases, to whom do I address the letter? Do I just fall back to Dear Sir or Madam? Sounds a bit...naff?

Cheers for the advice in advance, peeps!

 

[Kitty]

Hi Howard,

Why not simply pitch it as 'A light-hearted novel set in an alternate 19th Century London'.

The word length is actually fine. Don't worry about it.

Oh I know what you mean about those agencies where they don't give any details of what they are interested in, or even list who their clients are. They tend to end up at the bottom of my submission list, but if I do get round to them I'll probably pick one at random to address my submission to.

I hope that helps.

 

[Howard]

Good advice, Kitty: thanks. I am overthinking this, I know, but then, these moments are undeniably critical.

Anyway, bullet bit, and first of about 40 emails sent... eep!

 

[Sea-shore]

I've listened to a few agents on query letters, and they all say they like it when a writer has actually bothered to find their name and address the letter to them personally. A generic Dear Sir/madam, immediately puts their backs up, they said. Good luck with the queries.

 

[Howard]

I've listened to a few agents on query letters, and they all say they like it when a writer has actually bothered to find their name and address the letter to them personally. A generic Dear Sir/madam, immediately puts their backs up, they said. Good luck with the queries.

This is exactly what I thought, but god damn if some agencies don't make it hard to do that!

 

[Marc Joan]

Your book sounds very much like Demon Bound: Marris & Wade, Demon Bound: Volume 1 (Marris and Wade): Amazon.co.uk: David Parkland: 9781517667351: Books, written by David Parkland who used to be a Litopian.

Re your questions: to me the genre sounds like fantasy; I think that 70k is fine for this genre; and as for the agents -- what Kitty said.

 

[Robinne Weiss]

Yep. What they said. To add to it, if an agency doesn't tell me who its agents are or what it's interested in, then I reckon they're either incompetent or not legit, and I don't send anything. Who wants to be represented by someone like that? But that's just my take on it. @AgentPete will no doubt have a more knowledgeable answer on that one.

On the genre, it's best if you can choose one--if it doesn't fit a category, it can't be shelved (in either virtual or real bookstores), and if it can't be shelved, readers can't find it. Agents are pretty sensitive to this, because they have to sell your book. I'd browse Amazon for similar books and see how they've been categorised.

 

[AgentPete]

@AgentPete will no doubt have a more knowledgeable answer on that one.

This is exactly the sort of question I'd be delighted to explore in-depth at the next Village Hall.

 

[AliG]

I agree about avoiding a generic greeting. I've phoned an agency before to ask if the agent is Miss or Mrs - that's often unclear also. Must be a pain for them to have mutts phoning about something so trivial to them, yet is important to an author.