A pre-query query

[scarletpeaches]

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[aadams73]

Do they have agents names listed at all?

If so you could use the search feature at Amazon to see if they've been acknowledged in books similar to yours. Another alternative might be Publishers Marketplace, you can search agents and their clients, and vice versa.

I'm not sure if this will help you, but it might :)

[brinkett]

What do my fellow members think of emailing a literary agency using the email address given online or in the W&A Yearbook, to find out which agent deals with your particular genre?

Some entries in the W&AY do not make it clear which agent deals with mainstream/women's fiction, so would it be acceptable to email ahead to find out which person my query should be addressed to?
I think you should email rather than phone. I can't see a problem with emailing a simple question, though you might not get an answer. See if you can figure it out yourself first, as aadams73 suggests. If not, I'd email.

[maestrowork]

Do as much research as possible (online, Writer's Market, AAR search, etc.) and find out. To me, if you send an email and ask "do you represent women's fiction" it just sounds like you don't even bother to do some research about the agent/agency. Most of the time, this information is out there somewhere.

If you can't find the information anywhere, actually I don't think calling is a bad idea. Talk to the receptionist or secretary and ask about the agent's name. Most of the time, they'd tell you.

[scarletpeaches]

Some listings in the W&A Yearbook specify which agent within an agency 'does' which genre, others don't. So I guess the ones that do are the agencies to start off with! As for the finding acknowledgements in author's notes, that should be a pleasure - as a bookworm, I'd love to look through a pile of novels! (Amazon's okay but it's not the same as the atmosphere in a library or bookshop, is it)? I guess I was just wondering if it was 'good form' to call or email - how very, very British of me! ;)

[emeraldcite]

http://www.agentquery.com/


You can search by genre or combinations of genres. The site will tell you if they accept email queries and will give you examples of authors they represent. It's not the be all end all, but it's a great place to find a bucket full of agents. I found it to be very thorough.

A caveat: as with any resources, web or otherwise, I would suggest double-checking info before using it.

I used agentquery to narrow down my search to a first string of agents and got a bite on my first query (and a very big agent it was).

[scarletpeaches]

Ah, but that's an American site and I'm in Dundee...

[Richard]

Yeah, Writers and Artist's Yearbook is useless for that (although in fairness, with only one printing a year, the information would get out of date extremely quickly). Most of the larger ones they list usually seem to have one central submissions address rather than direct targetting.

[scarletpeaches]

Looks like I'll have to look at the agency sites and hope they give more information. Failing that, emails and failing that...well, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. You never know, the first person I contact may take me on. Well, a girl can live in hope, can't she?

[Richard]

Heh. You could always send the request from a disposable mail address, so as not to accidentally blot your copybook if an answer isn't forthcoming ;-)

[scarletpeaches]

Disposable email address you mean? What a good idea! Thanks Richard, I'm off to the hotmail site to set up a few 'enquiry' addresses...;)