Novel querying is tough (hell, it's all tough) but I am currently limiting my field of agents only to those accepting of both graphic novels and what works for my prose novel. So that my agent would/will be happy to represent my next project even if it happens to be a graphic novel. I just figure that's a better match for me. So the pool is smallish - though most I've found open to graphic novels also seem appropriate to my prose novel which is great - so it's basically your list...which is why I owe you such huge thanks!
Ooh, very smart, I hadn't thought about that-- querying graphic novel agents with a normal novel. Good thinking on your part, haha. Are you mentioning that you're also an illustrator/graphic novel artist in the bio part of your query, to maybe get more interest in you as an author?
I submitted eight queries in 2007/2008 and got four requests for partials/fulls and three rejections (the fourth rejection/non-rejection is actually still a war being waged - long story) but based on some of the feedback that I got, all but one of which was fairly personalized to my book, I decided on a major re-write that combined what I planned originally as a trilogy all into the first book. So it's like writing the two other books and merging them in the first book. It's taking FOREVER. But I'm closing in on completion.
I did the exact same thing with
Highwater, actually.
Originally it was planned as a trilogy, but when I was querying, I was asked about the pacing (by my now-agent, actually), and I reworked it so that the three "books" are now just act 1, 2, & 3, in a single volume (~300 pages... I've drawn 110, the rest is scripted and will be drawn once I get a contract!). Thankfully, I didn't have to change too much... I imagine with prose it would be much more difficult! How long do you think the book will be in the end? I've never attempted more than a short story.
My graphic novel, which I hope to get back to after this novel nightmare, will be mostly in black and white, but not nearly as cartoon-y as the journal comics on my blog. I could do it all black and white, but I'm considering a couple selections of colored pages - watercolor - well see what develops.
I checked out your comics as well - great stuff and congratulations on actually having an agent and getting them out there - that must feel - I don't know, I can't even really imagine it at this point. Good luck with all of it!
Yeah, Highwater is all black and white; I figured publishers would be more willing to take it on that way. I'm playing with the idea of my next book being in muted color, but I'm still a little torn-- I'm really drawn to a watercolor look in comics too! (Highwater's shading is just done in Painter) Do you have the story all plotted, or do you still have to write it on top of drawing a sample chapter?
& thanks! My site is in drastic need of an update, sadly-- I really need to make a Highwater section, so some of my more recent work can be seen (all those anthology comics are a few years old at least! *shame* Highwater is a lot stronger.) Probably won't happen til at least May, though.
I started querying in the end of September, and signed with my agent in December.
Spent some time doing revisions (and waiting for the publishing business to calm down a little... erk!), and just went out on submission a week or two ago! Highwater is my BFA thesis project, so my starry-eyed dream was to have an agent by the end of last semester (managed, suprisingly!) and a contract by the time I graduate. We'll see, haha.