Rules For Submitting To Agents

[1408]

Thanks, @Katie-Ellen Hazeldine! I'm happy to see you and everyone else still here! Oh, and yep, that's Kimble showing she'd be just as good a model as the ferret on the card next to her!

 

[Emurelda]

Back in my geekier days, oh around seven years ago, I was introduced to a card game titled 'Magic; the Gathering' if you've heard of them. Each set of cards released focused around a specific theme or place, ie. Morrowind was all cutesy elves, mermaids and pixies, while the older Kamigawa set is based on Japanese rodents and demons. The old sets I collected had a book that came with a box set of the playing cards, providing backstory to the 'planeswalkers' characters, who can move between these different realms, and their journeys. I don't think they continue the books now, but their audience is late teens to adults, not children. The card game is still going strong, though.
Google 'Wizards of the Coast', the company that create it. It couldn't hurt to send an email, unless you already have and they said 'no chance.'

Oh Yes! I have heard of them. Wizards of the Coast is now owned by Hasbro who acquired it for $325 million.

The difference is as you've spotted - my games are mainly for children. Companies like Hasbro buy concepts once they are successful. It is sometimes too much of a gamble for them to build from scratch despite their leverage - there are no guarantees that brands 'stick'. So schmucks like me come along take the gamble and build with no idea if it will work or not. But it's the journey that's fun .

 

[Jason Byrne]

Oh Yes! I have heard of them. Wizards of the Coast is now owned by Hasbro who acquired it for $325 million.

The difference is as you've spotted - my games are mainly for children. Companies like Hasbro buy concepts once they are successful. It is sometimes too much of a gamble for them to build from scratch despite their leverage - there are no guarantees that brands 'stick'. So schmucks like me come along take the gamble and build with no idea if it will work or not. But it's the journey that's fun .

Especially if they pick it up for $325 million.

 

[Jennifer Stone]

Oh Yes! I have heard of them. Wizards of the Coast is now owned by Hasbro who acquired it for $325 million.

The difference is as you've spotted - my games are mainly for children. Companies like Hasbro buy concepts once they are successful. It is sometimes too much of a gamble for them to build from scratch despite their leverage - there are no guarantees that brands 'stick'. So schmucks like me come along take the gamble and build with no idea if it will work or not. But it's the journey that's fun .

My main point being, if it worked for Wizards even only for a few years, there's no reason it couldn't work for you. Children love tie-ins and merchandise, look at Pokemon and how hugely diverse their product range is. Your products are entertaining, educating and eye catching. No reason it shouldn't work, in my view.

 

[Jason Byrne]

My main point being, if it worked for Wizards even only for a few years, there's no reason it couldn't work for you. Children love tie-ins and merchandise, look at Pokemon and how hugely diverse their product range is. Your products are entertaining, educating and eye catching. No reason it shouldn't work, in my view.

Truly. I was very into Pokémon in middle school — the anime led me to the Game Boy game, and then the card game as well, and then I started writing books about them. If you market the card game and mention the book tie-in, and vice versa, it will probably see real success.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Yes I do find that but with the US only a query letter is requested. However, it is recommended NOT to send just a query letter in the case of US agents but the whole MS. [According to my adopted literary teacher (virtual) Michael Levin.]

Michael Levin here.



Also helpful, is UK agent Piers Blofeld. And here he is, talking about rejection:

 

[Emurelda]

Omg @Katie-Ellen Hazeldine i feel like you have been watching my history feeds! Lol....Thanks for referencing them. I always learn something new from these guys.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Synchronicity, serendipity, homework in common or...

BTW AgentPete does a cracking one- on- one Skype masterclass. He's very kind but he doesn't take prisoners, and you might have to curl up in a ball for a teensy while afterwards, but it will certainly give you a handle on your market readiness. Info is on the downloads page here.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Thanks, @Katie-Ellen Hazeldine! I'm happy to see you and everyone else still here! Oh, and yep, that's Kimble showing she'd be just as good a model as the ferret on the card next to her!

I thought that WAS Kimble; mustelid model superstar.

 

[Nicole Wilson]

Yes I do find that but with the US only a query letter is requested. However, it is recommended NOT to send just a query letter in the case of US agents but the whole MS. [According to my adopted literary teacher (virtual) Michael Levin.]

A little late to the party, I know, but I want to chime in on this because I've been doing a LOT of research on agents in the last month. For US agents, they will specifically say on their website what they want. Usually, it's a query, a synopsis, and/or a few pages. But if they don't specify, you only send a query letter. Most agents will ask you to paste all materials in the body of the email (as they don't open attachments for fear of spam), and sending a monster of an email with your entire manuscript when it wasn't requested is probably a huge turn-off.

 

[Jason Byrne]

A little late to the party, I know, but I want to chime in on this because I've been doing a LOT of research on agents in the last month. For US agents, they will specifically say on their website what they want. Usually, it's a query, a synopsis, and/or a few pages. But if they don't specify, you only send a query letter. Most agents will ask you to paste all materials in the body of the email (as they don't open attachments for fear of spam), and sending a monster of an email with your entire manuscript when it wasn't requested is probably a huge turn-off.

That is exactly what I've found as well, Nicole. Some want five pages, some a chapter, a few as much as fifty pages, with query and synopsis — I also include a log line, or brief teaser hook of about eighty words.

 

[Emurelda]

Truly. I was very into Pokémon in middle school — the anime led me to the Game Boy game, and then the card game as well, and then I started writing books about them. If you market the card game and mention the book tie-in, and vice versa, it will probably see real success.

I am going to cringe but I did give a talk about 'Evergreen brands' at LEGup meetup last year.
Both Pokemon and Magic are focussed upon as two of the most successful gaming brands created.
It's title is 'Madness behind the method of games'.

Should I shouldn't I..oh what the heck it's on youtube here it is:



*runs and hides*

 

[Alistair Roberts]

If you hide you can't watch and learn! Just don't video tape me, I'll hide before you can.

 

[Jason Byrne]

I am going to cringe but I did give a talk about 'Evergreen brands' at LEGup meetup last year.
Both Pokemon and Magic are focussed upon as two of the most successful gaming brands created.
It's title is 'Madness behind the method of games'.

Should I shouldn't I..oh what the heck it's on youtube here it is:



*runs and hides*

It's Emurelda! I like the presentation. You're doing a good job of putting the word out.

 

[Emurelda]

It's Emurelda! I like the presentation. You're doing a good job of putting the word out.

Thanks. Made some great friends in the process. Embarrassing but got to start some where.