If I can wait to get some pro short story credits? This is my fourth book, but third novel, and I have submitted all of them to agents and at no point did any agent request to see chapters. Should I start the query process again or wait until I have some credits that would most likely make an agent request a partial? I have some minor paying credits but nothing that would catch the eye.
Should I hold off on Subbing a Novel
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Start doing it. Short story credits are not factored in on the decision. It looks pretty to have credits in your bio...but they are not needed. Agent will look at the query and decide if they want to request...
I was thinking about possibly querying slowly, so that there is some overlap if I were to get a credit or two and throw it into the letter on the fly. But I can't see how they don't play into the decision to request. I understand that an offer to rep won't, but to request a partial it has to play a part.
Some might argue that it might, but mostly they are just judging you on your query and their interest. They're not gonna think, 'oh, this guy has had short stories published...maybe I should ask him if I can read his novel.' It just won't happen.
Of course it happens, and often. An agent or editor loses nothing except a very small amount of time by taking a chance on a writer with good credits, and good credits are often the sole reason an agent or editors asks to read a novel.
Short stories and novels may not be the same brand of soap, but a writer who can beat the intense completion at a top market, who can write a story that convinces an editor to shell out the publisher's money, is a writer an agent or editor will give a chance far, far faster than a writer with no credits.
I've had this happen a number of times, and I've made two novel deals solely because of short story sales.
Yes, the novel still has to be good, but good doesn't matter a bit unless an agent or editor actually reads it, and good credits most certainly do convince agents and editors to take a chance and read the novel.
There is no doubt at all that having really good credits does help. Top credits are often the deciding factor in whether an agent or editor reads your novel, and all things being equal, can be the reason an agent represents your novel, and the reason an editor buys it.
But the reason top credits help is because they're incredibly difficult to get. It's actually much easier to sell a novel to a top publisher than it is to get credits from top magazines. The competition is not only much more fierce at magazines, in order to sell a story to a top magazine you have to beat out some of the best short story writer sin the world. Your story can't be as good as their, it must be better in some way.
So here's the question. If you can't convince an editor to request chapters of your novel, how will you convince an editor to reject a famous writer in order to buy one of your short stories?
If no agent is requesting sample chapters, you're doing something wrong. You're writing a poor query, and you're including poor first pages.
Chances are, if you could get credits from top magazines, you wouldn't be writing a poor query, and your first pages would be more than good enough to make an agent want to see more.
ETA: Do both. Short story credits will only ever help you, never hurt.
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If you've had no requests at all, it's most likely because your query letters were terrible. A visit to query hell (in the share your work area) sounds like your best bet at the moment. Make sure the query is really selling the book.
You can submit shorts too, because credits aren't going to hurt. But I wouldn't wait around for them or assume they'll make everything better. They won't replace having a good query.
You can submit shorts too, because credits aren't going to hurt. But I wouldn't wait around for them or assume they'll make everything better. They won't replace having a good query.
Your novel submission needs to stand on its own. Unless you have made a BIG NAME of yourself publishing shorts, which these days is exceedingly rare and when it happens, mainly does in literary fiction markets, you need to make the query/sample writing as strong as possible.
Even then it might not work.
caw
Even then it might not work.
caw
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Why does it have to play a part? I mean if your query ends with 'I have had several pieces of short fiction published in The New Yorker since 2010 and Joyce Carol Oates thinks I'm the shit,' ok, maybe someone would request off that, even if they thought the query sucked and the writing was non-impressive.
However, if the query isn't compelling, and the writing isn't either, having sold a short or two is meaningless.
Why think someone would even get that far into a query they didn't like?
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Here's what agents (including mine) have told me. Yes, short story credits can catch the agent's attention, but they have to be good ones. Pro magazines in the genre, for example. Or small magazines that regularly win awards.
However, all the short credits in the world can't make up for a less than stellar query letter and chapters. If you have a great novel, you don't need the short story credits.
ETA: I see you have more than 50 posts. I'd suggest posting your query letter in SYW to get some feedback.
However, all the short credits in the world can't make up for a less than stellar query letter and chapters. If you have a great novel, you don't need the short story credits.
ETA: I see you have more than 50 posts. I'd suggest posting your query letter in SYW to get some feedback.
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What I've read is that only credits in markets agents have heard of will have any impact. Still, doesn't stop me using my ASIM sale in my cover letters.
No rush. If you believe it would be beneficial to wait six months or a year, then do so. Agents aren't going anywhere and neither is the publishing industry. G'luck.
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