Do AW members with agents recommend other board members to their agents?

Ian Nathaniel Cohen · Nov 20, 2014

Do any of our resident writers who have been represented by agents ever recommend other writers around here to their agents? The one and only agent who ever asked for a follow-up after receiving my query letter had been recommended to be by an author I was friends with on Facebook. As someone who hasn't published any fiction before and who has a lot to learn about networking (work commitments and financial restraints prevent me from traveling to conferences), I'm starting to feel like I'm not going to get anywhere without some sort of foot in the door. (Although I haven't ruled out that my query letter/writing just sucks.)

When discussing each other's works or posting feedback on QLH, have any of you agented authors ever been inclined to offer to recommend your agent to another AW member? Is it considered bad form to ask for this sort of help from an AW member?

(BTW, sorry if this is the wrong forum to post this. I wasn't sure where else this should go.)

Old Hack · Nov 20, 2014

Ian Nathaniel Cohen said:
Do any of our resident writers who have been represented by agents ever recommend other writers around here to their agents? The one and only agent who ever asked for a follow-up after receiving my query letter had been recommended to be by an author I was friends with on Facebook. As someone who hasn't published any fiction before and who has a lot to learn about networking (work commitments and financial restraints prevent me from traveling to conferences), I'm starting to feel like I'm not going to get anywhere without some sort of foot in the door. (Although I haven't ruled out that my query letter/writing just sucks.)

All a referral or a contact will do is get you ahead of a few other people in the queue to be read. If your book or query isn't good enough, it won't help at all.

If you're not having much luck finding an agent, your best bet will probably be to run your query though our Share Your Work section, and to put up a sample chapter or two as well. It'll help you work out what's going wrong better than anything else I know.

Ian Nathaniel Cohen · Nov 20, 2014

Fair enough. Regarding my original question, though, is agent recommending (or requests for it) ever something that goes on here at AW?

Old Hack · Nov 20, 2014

It can happen but it's not a thing I've done much of. I can't vouch for anyone else.

Ian Nathaniel Cohen · Nov 20, 2014

Alrighty, just curious. Thanks!

amergina · Nov 20, 2014

I've not recommended anyone to my agent at this point. I'd have to feel strongly about an author's work to do that. It's asking a lot.

I have recommended my agent to writers, when they ask if they should query. And I have no issues with someone who knows me including "I know Amergina" in a query to her.

I have introduced author friends in person to my agent at cons and stuff.

But in the end, the work has to stand on its own, you know?

Ian Nathaniel Cohen · Nov 20, 2014

amergina said:
But in the end, the work has to stand on its own, you know?

Oh, of course. I'm certainly not trying to argue it shouldn't.

Unimportant · Nov 20, 2014

Ian Nathaniel Cohen said:
Do any of our resident writers who have been represented by agents ever recommend other writers around here to their agents? The one and only agent who ever asked for a follow-up after receiving my query letter had been recommended to be by an author I was friends with on Facebook. As someone who hasn't published any fiction before and who has a lot to learn about networking (work commitments and financial restraints prevent me from traveling to conferences), I'm starting to feel like I'm not going to get anywhere without some sort of foot in the door. (Although I haven't ruled out that my query letter/writing just sucks.)

When discussing each other's works or posting feedback on QLH, have any of you agented authors ever been inclined to offer to recommend your agent to another AW member? Is it considered bad form to ask for this sort of help from an AW member?

(BTW, sorry if this is the wrong forum to post this. I wasn't sure where else this should go.)

I think it's pretty uncommon. An author doesn't want to put their relationship with their agent in jeopardy, so they're not going to recommend another writer's work unless they know that person's writing intimately, believe it's of high enough quality to attract the agent, and have good reason to believe that the writer would mesh well personally with the agent.

So, here on AW and elsewhere in intertube-land, writers do occasionally get to know one another personally and professionally to the extent that one may say "Hey, you are awesome, and your writing is awesome, would you like me to ask my agent to have a read of your novel?" But it won't happen often, and certainly won't happen between near-strangers.

popgun62 · Nov 20, 2014

I've recommended authors to my agent - none of them got signed, and a couple of them have already been published professionally with high sales to boot. I have asked authors if I could use them as a referral, and they said yes. None of those agents signed me. So as Old Hack says, it all hinges on the quality of your writing, as well as whether or not it clicks with the agent. Plus there's luck, timing, whether the agent is seeking new clients, etc. You might get to the head of the line, but you're no more likely to get signed than the people in the slush pile.

Sage · Nov 20, 2014

I have, with permission, mentioned that I'm friends (and, yes, actually friends not just an acquaintance here) with their clients, and I have had one friend personally recommend me to her agent. Usually these end up in requests, but so far have not ended up in representation. I would never do so without permission, and I would not expect anyone on AW who hadn't read my work to give me a referral.

waylander · Nov 21, 2014

Yes, I have done. To my knowledge no-one has been signed as a result.

Polenth · Nov 21, 2014

I doubt referrals are that common, because people would talk about it more, thank the person who referred, and all the rest. I'd also note I've been here for years, had people say they like my writing, and have had no referrals. It's a step beyond liking someone's work, as it does come with the implication that you're a good person to work with on a personal/professional level. Not many people will want to state that for someone they only know through their writing.

Putputt · Nov 21, 2014

I have referred someone to the agent I'm interning for, but she didn't ask me to and it was something I offered because 1. I thought her book was awesome, and 2. I've known her on AW for about a year now and I love her dearly and believe she would make a wonderful client. The agent ended up referring her to someone else, but I don't think she's heard from that, so much good my referral did.

I think referrals, if they were to happen, would mostly happen based on those criteria. There are a couple AWers I would refer without hesitation, but they all fulfill the Great Book + Good Human Being thing.

Do AW members with agents recommend other board members to their agents?

Ian Nathaniel Cohen

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman

Ian Nathaniel Cohen

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman

Ian Nathaniel Cohen

amergina

Pittsburgh Strong

Ian Nathaniel Cohen

Unimportant

No COVID yet. Still masking.

popgun62

Keeper of the pace.

Sage

Supreme Guessinator

waylander

Who's going for a beer?

Polenth

Mushroom

Putputt

permanently suctioned to Buz's leg