[Agent] Mathew Ferguson

WistfulWriter7 said:

Wow, did I ever spend several hours reading this thread. Clearly, I am the procrastination queen.

So, after all that, I just wanted to say one thing to Mathew. Okay, two things.

1) I actually agree with a lot of what you have said especially about marketing. It is important people! However, I think for new writers, it is a very time-consuming, no short-cuts thing. For me, I've been able to build a bit of an audience for my writing by being wise to youtube, myspace, twitter, my website, blogs etc. Yes, it EATS up my time, and I don't think it will help me much to get from here to published. What I do see is the incredible word-of-mouth thing going on. This may be just for my genre and target age group, but at least for YA fantasy, I've had a great response. What this means for me is 500 friends who all have 500-1000 friends each all know me personally and would like to read my work in the future. Yay internet!

2) You spoke a lot of the deals you've made without getting paid for them. You allude to a lot of impressive work. Perhaps being more specific about which books could help you out at this stage. I'm just throwing it out there. :/
You do speak about it on that site, but perhaps here you can talk about the uncredited work?

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I do allude to uncredited agent work but I am hesitant to talk at length about it for two reasons.

The first is that I don't actually think it is very important. I have a perfectly acceptable publishing background where I did everything an agent does. Things are covered by confidentiality clauses but I can talk in some detail about various deals and what I had to do to get it done.

The second is that this uncredited, unpaid work I consider as favours and I don't feel particularly comfortable saying on the web "Hey I got XXXX XXXX a $10,000 job" (never mind she is meant to be a fully capable freelance writer) or "Hey, I helped this artist negotiate her employment contract so she kept rights" (part of her job was being able to negotiate). These people are either friends of mine or friends of friends and to me it feels like if I use their names without any permission (I always assume confidentiality) then perhaps I was only doing that work or giving that advice for my own benefit. Do you see what I mean?

If you check out my about page http://www.mathewferguson.com.au/about.html you can see I worked as an editor for Funtastic Publishing and I talk a bit about what I did there. You can probably see that it wasn't the standard editorial position, given the breadth of the work. You can also see the other places I worked and other things I've done.

I suppose I'll add a third reason I don't feel much like talking in detail any more: it doesn't seem to matter. If controlling $10 million of books for two years isn't enough for a writer to decide to send a manuscript to me ... then what will be? If working as a freelance writer and editor for four years isn't enough ... then what will be? If having a publishing footprint that is somewhat verifiable via web-searching isn't enough ... then what will be?

It's pretty easy I suppose: if you think I'm telling you the truth about my background and think I could be right for you then submit a manuscript. If you think I'm not telling the truth then don't.

Wayne K said:

I'm wondering why you're not working at an agency rather than start out this way. I've read all the other things you've done, I mean as an agent.

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I did consider working at an established agency.

I decided not to for a few reasons. The first was that I wouldn't be gaining any additional skills. I would be arriving with contract negotiation skills and deal-making skills and the ability to pick publishable books from non-publishable books, etc. I would essentially be taking a low-paid job for a year or possible two simply so I could say "I worked at Established Agency X for two years and did the following deals ...".

If I were 24 then I might consider a year or two a worthwhile sacrifice simply for a sentence on a resume but I'm 30 now and 31 in April next year and I don't have the time to toil away in pointless positions any longer. My first job out of uni was a wasted year skill-wise and the whole point of it was to get my next job.

The next reason I decided not to was that I live in Australia and the only way into agencies is first as an unpaid intern and then low-paid peon. One agent in particular (the one who badly negotiated her client's contract because she had no idea about companies selling books to sub-divisions of itself) had a few peons at any time working for her and she was living it up on the back of their efforts. Hooray for capitalism but I'm past the point where I trade money for experience. I now trade experience for money.

Another reason is that after four years of freelance writing and editing I have come to enjoy working for myself. I've finished many a job with a palpable sense of relief that I don't work for that company. The politics! The internal petty struggles and pointless blather that goes on every. single. day. Ugh.

I suppose another reason is money. I once created, wrote, edited and helped sell a single title for Funtastic that sold 10,000 copies straight up then another 10,000 in reprints and when I left was up to 40,000 copies. It was a simple children's title and in 2009 it's still being sold. Guess how much I earned from that? My wage. No bonus. No commission (unlike the salesperson who proudly showed me her new watch!). My company raked in a whopping chunk of money but I saw none of that. If I had received a 10 cent per book royalty on all the stuff I've helped write and create then I'd be a much richer man today.

I do see what you mean.
Thanks for the clarification.
I have a feeling I wasn't the only one wondering.
I didn't really think about anonymity because so many agents post previous sales, but in this case, I guess it's not the same thing.

If having a publishing footprint that is somewhat verifiable via web-searching isn't enough ... then what will be?

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You need sales.

For sales you need clients.

Most new agents use their contacts in the industry. They bring their own clients from the agency where they worked before, if the contracts allow that. Or if they came from the publisher side of business, they put out the word to authors they know are looking for a new agent.

Smish said:

I've only recently skimmed through this thread, so I'm sure I've missed a lot of the discussion. However, I think the issue here, Mr. Ferguson, is not whether you're following the "rules", but rather whether an author has sufficient reason to put their trust in you as an agent.

You've been a writer yourself; you know how much time/energy/heart is spent in creating a project. When it goes out on submission, the writer wants to feel confident that her agent will not only be successful in selling the project, but that he is making the best choice for her future career in the business.

Without sales, it's difficult for a writer to determine your worth as an agent. You may indeed be an excellent freelance writer and editor, but that doesn't necessarily mean you'll be a great agent. Many of the writers seeking an agent are successful freelance writers and editors, too. I also happen to be a lawyer, and I'm a very good researcher, so I can certainly draft/negotiate contracts. However, I don't feel I'm qualified to be an agent.

I'm not saying that you're not qualified to be an agent; you may very well be. However, until you've made sales and have clients I can speak to, I have no way of determining whether you are or aren't.

I do wish you success as an agent, and I hope you find a publishable manuscript in your slush pile soon.

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Hi - thanks for your good wishes.

The kerfuffle on this thread was over comments I dared make considering the mythology surrounding agents. Having worked in publishing, I know very well what agents can and can't do, how they do it (I was their target for two straight years as an in-house editor) and as with anyone you spend a lot of time with, you can become intimately familiar with their job (plus they talk a LOT and often reveal more than they wish). I once had a coffee with this guy and he revealed he was taking the rest of the day off. The next day he wrote a blog entry talking about the endless flow of manuscript and how he never takes a day off. It was hilarious.

I made a sale for one of my illustrators recently but it is too small to brag about. It was nice but not wow. Reminds me of when I was hired to write a birthday card invitation: interesting but not something I put on my resume because it's too small time.

When I talk about rules it is because there doesn't appear to be a consensus as to what to look for in a new agent. Another thread on this site talks about a footprint in publishing as acceptable ... but then in this thread it's not. And people keep adding them! I look too young. I've worked too much in licensed publishing and not real publishing. I opened my doors this year and haven't taken on a client yet and this is bad. I'm starting to think that by bothering to talk to writers that I'm getting all the stuff they wish they could say to agents who have rejected them, starting with "by what right do you put yourself in a position to judge me and my work?".

eqb said:

You need sales.

For sales you need clients.

Most new agents use their contacts in the industry. They bring their own clients from the agency where they worked before, if the contracts allow that. Or if they came from the publisher side of business, they put out the word to authors they know are looking for a new agent.

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Okay ... so how about we look for evidence for "most new agents use their contacts in the industry"?

Where do you get this idea from? How would you prove this to be true?

Or to put it another way - what evidence would I need to show you to convince you that "most new agents don't use their contacts in the industry"?

I know people but there are far more places work can go. It's not possible to have contacts at every publisher. There are publishers in Australia where I have no contacts. I've never spoken with them. Does that mean I can't sell to them? Does that mean when I call up and want to speak to their children's editor that I'm not going to? As a freelance writer and editor a big part of the job is calling up places you've never worked before and getting your material in front of the right person.

"They bring their own clients from the agency where they worked before".
If that was an extraordinarily good contract then perhaps they can but otherwise there are diabolical restrictions on agents taking clients with them. Most contracts have an agency clause in them - not an agent clause. You leave the agency and you go with nothing. Otherwise the agency would always be at risk of losing a client simply because the agent left. There certainly are arrangements where authors go with their agents but it isn't the norm.

mathewferguson said:

When I talk about rules it is because there doesn't appear to be a consensus as to what to look for in a new agent. Another thread on this site talks about a footprint in publishing as acceptable ... but then in this thread it's not.

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The consensus is clear. Sales are the best indicator. For sales you need clients. If you are new, it's also a good sign if you have some footprint in agenting or publishing to show that you have experience in the field.

You have a footprint in publishing. That's good.

But so far, you have no sales and no fiction clients. That's a bit odd, considering you opened your agency in early 2009, and should have ample contacts in the industry to attract some clients.

If I were looking for an agent, I'd wait until I could see verifiable sales from you before I queried you.

Mathew, have you agented book deals for friends or friends of friends? Or only freelance contracts?

It's pretty easy I suppose: if you think I'm telling you the truth about my background and think I could be right for you then submit a manuscript. If you think I'm not telling the truth then don't.

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It's not a matter of whether you are telling the truth. It's whether the truth is enough to pique the interest of publishable writers.

I opened my doors this year and haven't taken on a client yet and this is bad.

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In an earlier post you wrote that you only expect to sign up to two clients. Your reasoning is because you don't want to represent crappy books. Fair enough. That said, new agents acquire clients and sell their client books within six months of opening their doors. They don't accomplish that by representing books they don't believe in. They accomplish that because they hold some kind of credibility and publishable writers are sending them queries. If publishable writers aren't contacting you that's a problem.

I look too young.

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You look immature. But hey, I'm not going to knock you for that. I've run my business since I was twenty-four. I played by my rules and no one else's. That means that I pitched to C-level executives in overalls. And that was for deals worth much more than $12,000. I knew there was a cost to dressing down for meetings, and that was (still is) fine by me. I built a reputation that my dress doesn't matter any more (for the most part). The pic you have posted on the net isn't professional, and people will respond in kind. Does that mean you should change the pic? Nope. But as I said, expect the negative reaction. Once you prove yourself the pic won't matter.

eqb said:

The consensus is clear. Sales are the best indicator. For sales you need clients. If you are new, it's also a good sign if you have some footprint in agenting or publishing to show that you have experience in the field.

You have a footprint in publishing. That's good.

But so far, you have no sales and no fiction clients. That's a bit odd, considering you opened your agency in early 2009, and should have ample contacts in the industry to attract some clients.

If I were looking for an agent, I'd wait until I could see verifiable sales from you before I queried you.

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If only I had known about this other unspoken rule: you must take on a client very soon after opening your agency.

No. No. No.

Why is it odd that I haven't taken on a client yet? I haven't found something I want to represent. I'm looking. I'm searching. I'm not passively waiting for people to send me things. I actually contact people as well and ask them what they have.

I could have clients with published books within two weeks if I wanted. I have no doubt. I already turned down someone I knew from a previous job and he has a published book. But this would prove nothing except there are published writers out there who are still searching for agents and that I can write a convincing email. Their sales wouldn't be mine. And then I would be putting myself in a position of having to explain in six months why I hadn't made any sales for them. Um ... because they may have written one publishable book but they aren't going to write another.

I'll take on a client with a good manuscript and not a minute sooner.

I could have clients with published books within two weeks if I wanted. I have no doubt...Um ... because they may have written one publishable book but they aren't going to write another.

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I suspect just about every single agent out there would not sign a published author if s/he didn't have new material for the agent to shop.

escritora said:

Mathew, have you agented book deals for friends or friends of friends? Or only freelance contracts?



It's not a matter of whether you are telling the truth. It's whether the truth is enough to pique the interest of publishable writers.



In an earlier post you wrote that you only expect to sign up to two clients. Your reasoning is because you don't want to represent crappy books. Fair enough. That said, new agents acquire clients and sell their client books within six months of opening their doors. They don't accomplish that by representing books they don't believe in. They accomplish that because they hold some kind of credibility and publishable writers are sending them queries. If publishable writers aren't contacting you that's a problem.



You look immature. But hey, I'm not going to knock you for that. I've run my business since I was twenty-four. I played by my rules and no one else's. That means that I pitched to C-level executives in overalls. And that was for deals worth much more than $12,000. I knew there was a cost to dressing down for meetings, and that was (still is) fine by me. I built a reputation that my dress doesn't matter any more (for the most part). The pic you have posted on the net isn't professional, and people will respond in kind. Does that mean you should change the pic? Nope. But as I said, expect the negative reaction. Once you prove yourself the pic won't matter.

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The agent work or agent-type work I've done is pretty broad. There is all the in-house stuff which strayed far outside the standard definition of what an editor normally does. Outside of that it ranges from contract advice for writers and illustrators, help with concept development, website design advice, behind the scenes contract negotiation, book pitch help, freelance job help and various other things. Some of the stuff I did I didn't really think of it at the time as agent work - I was simply helping a friend who didn't know what to do. I did help a writer-illustrator team move away from their bad publisher and go to a new publisher and I absolutely can't talk about what happened there, unfortunately.

I have to ask, where do you get this idea from: "That said, new agents acquire clients and sell their client books within six months of opening their doors. They don't accomplish that by representing books they don't believe in. They accomplish that because they hold some kind of credibility and publishable writers are sending them queries. If publishable writers aren't contacting you that's a problem."

Are you aware of some evidence that I am not? Has someone done a survey of new agents and found they acquire clients and then sell their books within SIX months? What evidence do you have for this?

As I said in another post, I have no doubt I could taken on at least three writers who have published titles within two weeks. I'll bet that I could even get them small to mid-sized jobs, like writing educational fiction books, children's fiction readers or articles for magazines. But none of these jobs would be BIG! They'd be the $1500 advance and then $3000 final payment flat rate jobs. Or $500 advance and a small royalty. Some of these writers already do these kinds of jobs and while I could help them out and earn some money myself, this isn't what I want to do. I want to find the bigger fish.

I'm also fairly certain I could steal ... err ... acquire clients from agents who aren't doing their job any longer. But again, I'm not interested in doing this.

As for the photo - that was just one person on this forum attempting an ad hominem attack because they had nothing good to say. The pic isn't on my website - it's elsewhere.

mathewferguson said:

If only I had known about this other unspoken rule: you must take on a client very soon after opening your agency.

No. No. No.

Why is it odd that I haven't taken on a client yet? I haven't found something I want to represent. I'm looking. I'm searching. I'm not passively waiting for people to send me things. I actually contact people as well and ask them what they have.

I could have clients with published books within two weeks if I wanted. I have no doubt. I already turned down someone I knew from a previous job and he has a published book. But this would prove nothing except there are published writers out there who are still searching for agents and that I can write a convincing email. Their sales wouldn't be mine. And then I would be putting myself in a position of having to explain in six months why I hadn't made any sales for them. Um ... because they may have written one publishable book but they aren't going to write another.

I'll take on a client with a good manuscript and not a minute sooner.

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Some of the posters in the thread may be bashing you because you're providing them a target, but I think many of the questions and concerns are valid. We're talking about our CAREERS here. Choosing the right agent is a big deal, and can sometimes make or break a writing career. Surely you understand where the concerned author is coming from?

A new agent can be great, because he's building his list and has the time to devote to his clients. A new agent can also be a risk, though, because the writer has no way of knowing whether the agent will create a successful agency, or whether he'll close his doors in a year. That's why it helps if the new agent is a member of an established agency; it provides a bit more security for the writer.

If a prospective agent cannot point to specific sales he's made or provide client referrals, has few contacts, and doesn't have the backing of an established agency, why should the author put her faith in him? What can he offer that she can't do for herself?

Writers are supposed to ask these questions; they're fools if they don't. Writers should look at an agent's sales record. Writers should ask for client referrals. Writers should ask where the agent plans to submit and why.

As I said, I do wish you success. Once you've established yourself as an agent and have a track record of sales, people will be have fewer doubts and concerns. Really, that's how it works in any business, and in most businesses, there's a lot less on the line.

Also, I would consider listing all your legitimate sales, even if they are "nice" and not "wow". Even the top New York agents make more "nice" sales than "wow" sales, and it will give your potential clients something to consider. Having non-agent experience in publishing is useful, but proof of actual agent work is going to be more persuasive.

Smish

escritora said:

I suspect just about every single agent out there would not sign a published author if s/he didn't have new material for the agent to shop.

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They'd sign them up if they were putting up a website and wanted an instant client list to then attract better clients.

For example, I could contact three people and offer to be their agent. I know one is already desperate for an agent because I've already turned them down. The other two have had long conversations with me about how to find an agent, hinting along the line that it could be me (but I'm not interested).
Voila! Instant "Clients" tab on my site and it simply isn't ... clear ... if I got them their publishing deal or not.

Then use this to contact clients higher up the food chain and see if they need representation.

I've seen it many times before. New agencies taking on plenty of clients so they can say they represent twelve writers and ten illustrators. This helps them get new clients who have good work and then they slowly drop away those original clients.

All the while those writers think that things are going great because they finally got an agent! But no ... what they got was someone who will dump them a year later.

Plenty of illustrator agents follow this strategy. Their clients are a sales tool to attract new money-making clients.

I have been following this thread for a awhile now and though I do not think we would work well as an author/agent team I cannot seem to turn away. It's like passing by a multiple vehicle accident on the freeway at rush hour. Now before anything is taken out of context let me state that the only reason why I think we wouldn't work well together is because you appear to specialize in childrens' stories. I do not write for children. I've even told my kids that they cannot read what I write until they are much, much older. My opinion on this has nothing to do with you background.

In the past few months I have spent countless hours researching agents; who will fit right with me and my work, who will fight for my ms as hard as I will, and who has a firm understanding on the market. Many of those agents have crossed the table lines, going from editor to agent. Most have done so by joining an established agency.

To see you taking that step without the backing of an aclimated team behind/beside you is bold and inventive. You obviously feel very passionate about your work. True, with your personal views of how hard agents work this last statement might look like the wrong choice of words. But I really don't think they are because with every new comment you've been right there, on the ball.

Everyone has to start somewhere, right? Good luck in your future endeavors. I'm sure that you will find the author and ms that fits right with your passions.

Smish said:

Some of the posters in the thread may be bashing you because you're providing them a target, but I think many of the questions and concerns are valid. We're talking about our CAREERS here. Choosing the right agent is a big deal, and can sometimes make or break a writing career. Surely you understand where the concerned author is coming from?

A new agent can be great, because he's building his list and has the time to devote to his clients. A new agent can also be a risk, though, because the writer has no way of knowing whether the agent will create a successful agency, or whether he'll close his doors in a year. That's why it helps if the new agent is a member of an established agency; it provides a bit more security for the writer.

If a prospective agent cannot point to specific sales he's made or provide client referrals, has few contacts, and doesn't have the backing of an established agency, why should the author put her faith in him? What can he offer that she can't do for herself?

Writers are supposed to ask these questions; they're fools if they don't. Writers should look at an agent's sales record. Writers should ask for client referrals. Writers should ask where the agent plans to submit and why.

As I said, I do wish you success. Once you've established yourself as an agent and have a track record of sales, people will be have fewer doubts and concerns. Really, that's how it works in any business, and in most businesses, there's a lot less on the line.

Also, I would consider listing all your legitimate sales, even if they are "nice" and not "wow". Even the top New York agents make more "nice" sales than "wow" sales, and it will give your potential clients something to consider. Having non-agent experience in publishing is useful, but proof of actual agent work is going to be more persuasive.

Smish

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I have no problems with questions at all. Don't forget, I've worked as a freelance writer and editor for four years - I'm one of the most suspicious bastards out there. I've been burned, been through the wringer and met plenty of people who were either looking to rip me off or take advantage of me or who were simply clueless and wanted some of my money for nothing.

The concerns only arose because I made some comments about the actual agent job. I dared to suggest that agents don't work the hours they claim to. What sacrilege that was! I also said that query letters weren't important as claimed. Doesn't matter that I've operated the slush pile in my life. Doesn't matter that I used to ask every editor and agent I met whether they read the query letter first or the manuscript (manuscript).

I will be posting up clients and sales for my clients once I have a few more. There won't be figures but descriptions. The recent sale I made was to Copeland publishing for an illustration.

5bcarnies said:

I have been following this thread for a awhile now and though I do not think we would work well as an author/agent team I cannot seem to turn away. It's like passing by a multiple vehicle accident on the freeway at rush hour. Now before anything is taken out of context let me state that the only reason why I think we wouldn't work well together is because you appear to specialize in childrens' stories. I do not write for children. I've even told my kids that they cannot read what I write until they are much, much older. My opinion on this has nothing to do with you background.

In the past few months I have spent countless hours researching agents; who will fit right with me and my work, who will fight for my ms as hard as I will, and who has a firm understanding on the market. Many of those agents have crossed the table lines, going from editor to agent. Most have done so by joining an established agency.

To see you taking that step without the backing of an aclimated team behind/beside you is bold and inventive. You obviously feel very passionate about your work. True, with your personal views of how hard agents work this last statement might look like the wrong choice of words. But I really don't think they are because with every new comment you've been right there, on the ball.

Everyone has to start somewhere, right? Good luck in your future endeavors. I'm sure that you will find the author and ms that fits right with your passions.

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I've been concerned about my extensive background in children's publishing too. Why would someone send me a dark bloodthirsty scare-you-stupid horror novel when they see I've written Princess stories in my life? It's the curse of being type-cast I suppose. You can't be the guy who wrote two joke books and be the guy representing a bleak murder mystery.

Personally, I've always thought that to be an agent you should have to be an editor first at a real publishing company. How else can you learn all the sneaky things you need to know?

mathewferguson said:

The concerns only arose because I made some comments about the actual agent job. I dared to suggest that agents don't work the hours they claim to. What sacrilege that was! I also said that query letters weren't important as claimed. Doesn't matter that I've operated the slush pile in my life. Doesn't matter that I used to ask every editor and agent I met whether they read the query letter first or the manuscript (manuscript).

I will be posting up clients and sales for my clients once I have a few more. There won't be figures but descriptions. The recent sale I made was to Copeland publishing for an illustration.

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This is the Bewares and Backgrounds section. Questions regarding sales, contacts, and experience would have arisen with or without your comments regarding work load and query letters. That's what this forum is for; writers come here to find information on agents. They ask these sorts of questions of all agents.

Also, it probably is important to note differences between Australian and other markets. In the US, there are agencies that only accept query letters. So, the query letter is going to be very important. Other agencies request query letters and the first 10 pages; you're right, they probably skim the letter and go straight to the sample pages.

I have no idea what the children's book world is like in Australia, but I know quite a lot about the market here in the US. I suspect there are quite a few differences. So, it's probably important for all of us to keep things in perspective. With a world-wide forum, blanket statements don't go over well. Things are going to be a bit different from place to place.

Anyway, best wishes.

mathewferguson said:

I've been concerned about my extensive background in children's publishing too. Why would someone send me a dark bloodthirsty scare-you-stupid horror novel when they see I've written Princess stories in my life? It's the curse of being type-cast I suppose. You can't be the guy who wrote two joke books and be the guy representing a bleak murder mystery.

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I don't think its about being 'type-casted' per se. Its more of a speciality. Background in any certain area is what drives agents to deal with specific genres. And continuously repeating, children, children, children, you may have put yourself in that corner. Which is not a bad corner to be in.

If I were in your shoes and I wanted to branch out from kids lit I might look into a short internship at an agency just to get my feet wet with other genres. But as you've stated you are not intersted in interning. The state of things, economically speaking, is understandable. Money is money after all.

Keeping your friends or friends of friends' privacy in mind, are there any other deals you have worked with that didn't deal with childrens stories? I realize that a deal is a deal, no matter the genre, but have you worked with authors that did not revolve around Princesses and frog Princes? Are you even interested in doing so?

I have to ask, where do you get this idea from: "That said, new agents acquire clients and sell their client books within six months of opening their doors.

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I've read this in agents blogs. I can't remember which agents, but I only visit a few such as Janet Ried's, Bookends, Nathan Bransford... These are agents who have a sales track record and are well known here in the U.S. As such, from my POV their views hold more credibility than an agent who hasn't sold a book. Maybe the market where you are works differently? I have my doubts, tho.

I'll bet that I could even get them small to mid-sized jobs, like writing educational fiction books, children's fiction readers or articles for magazines.

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To be clear, you intend to take a percentage of your clients mag articles? Is that the norm in Australia? Here in the U.S. agents don't pitch articles.

They'd be the $1500 advance and then $3000 final payment flat rate jobs. Or $500 advance and a small royalty. Some of these writers already do these kinds of jobs and while I could help them out and earn some money myself, this isn't what I want to do. I want to find the bigger fish.

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I want to respond to the quote but want to know what "Some of these writers already do these kinds of jobs" means before I do. Just to make sure we are both on the same page.

As for the photo - that was just one person on this forum attempting an ad hominem attack because they had nothing good to say. The pic isn't on my website - it's elsewhere.

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It's on the twitter page you linked to on this thread. I wouldn't have seen your pic if you didn't provide easy access to it. Anyone who Googles you will find this thread, and your twitter page. If the pic isn't part of your intended brand then remove it.

I also said that query letters weren't important as claimed. Doesn't matter that I've operated the slush pile in my life. Doesn't matter that I used to ask every editor and agent I met whether they read the query letter first or the manuscript (manuscript).

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This was already covered up thread. As someone noted, the overwhelming amount of agents in the US only accept queries. So they have to read the query first in order to request the manuscript. If it's the norm for Australian agents to accept a query along with the manuscript then make that clear in your posts.

They'd sign them up if they were putting up a website and wanted an instant client list to then attract better clients.

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No. I don't think a legit agent would.

mathewferguson said:

I'm starting to think that by bothering to talk to writers that I'm getting all the stuff they wish they could say to agents who have rejected them, starting with "by what right do you put yourself in a position to judge me and my work?".

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Another straw-man argument. No one in this thread has said anything remotely like this.

I will be posting up clients and sales for my clients once I have a few more. There won't be figures but descriptions. The recent sale I made was to Copeland publishing for an illustration.

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Descriptions only will pique U.S. client interest. I'm not aware of a U.S. agent who posts figures. Heck, I wouldn't like it if my agent posted my advance. Is it the norm in Australia for agents to put up such information?

still alive said:

At the risk of offending--which I seem to do whether I want to or not:

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The persecuted routine is grating.

How many sales has Publish or Perish made since starting up this year?

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This isn't Thunderdome.

None that I know of and since so many on here are now his clients, I'd imagine we would have had dancing figures all over posts from those who sold. And either I've missed them, or they haven't happened yet.

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Nor is it a popularity contest.

So how is Mat any different--if sales are so important? Or is the difference nationality? Or personality?

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You seem very intent on ascribing underhanded motives to the people who've posted here. It's insulting.

still alive said:

At the risk of offending--which I seem to do whether I want to or not:

How many sales has Publish or Perish made since starting up this year?

None that I know of and since so many on here are now his clients, I'd imagine we would have had dancing figures all over posts from those who sold. And either I've missed them, or they haven't happened yet.

So how is Mat any different--if sales are so important? Or is the difference nationality? Or personality?

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I just took a quick glance through that thread and noticed several differences immediately. First of all, 5 1/2 months along he does have clients and is submitting work to publishers. Also, in the blog post for 7 Sept on his site, he mentions a client submitting her manuscript to her editor, although, of course, there's a possibility that that sale isn't his. I'm not sure why he doesn't list clients and sales on his site.

More importantly, I found his demeanor in his posts to be professional and genial, not aggressive and argumentative. He also doesn't repeatedly 'dis' his own profession.

In point of fact, I have an agent who's pretty much considered a shark. Once a prominent writer in my genre (repped by a different top agent) said to me, 'People are scared of him.' I've actually seen this with my own eyes when someone else's agent was trying to rip me off and didn't know who my agent was. (Man, was that the best part of an otherwise sordid affair, watching that other agent nearly poop a brick when my agent's name got introduced into the conversation!)

So while my agent has built up an extremely successful business and career with his ability to be aggressive on behalf of his clients when it's called for, I'm sure he would never come here and be aggressive toward people asking perfectly legitimate questions.

Publish or Perish still might fail, just like any other startup. But from where I sit, it looks like it's making more strides in the right direction than Mathew Ferguson who started up earlier and still has no fiction clients or sales.

Voila! Instant "Clients" tab on my site and it simply isn't ... clear ... if I got them their publishing deal or not.

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We deal harshly here with agents who list sales that predate the foundation of their agencies.

No, that isn't what's being asked, and that isn't what's being claimed.

That is, in fact, yet another strawman.

I wish you very good luck, Mat. I hope you'll drop back by in a year or two and tell us how you made out.