Canadians and Eh-gencies?

TessB · Dec 2, 2014

I've started looking into agents and protocols, and I have a couple of questions, as an unagented Canadian author currently being published in the US.

From everything that I've read so far, the number of Canadian literary agents is very low - about thirty across the country. Only about 10% of published Canadian authors even have agents, which suggests that the landscape here is quite different than that in the USA.

In order to publish in the US, must one have an American agent? There are Canadian agents who work with US authors, and Canadian authors with American agents, but what are the actual differences in protocols there? Is it not-necessary-but-better to have an American agent, with the idea that they'll have more luck with American publishers? Or better to have a Canadian agent because of potential differences in contract law?

Or is it all one big homogenous pool and I'm overthinking things as a method of procrastination?

I'm writing and selling erotic romance at the moment, and haven't needed an agent for that, but have a historical fantasy WIP that will be under a different pen-name. I'm trying to figure out where to focus my attentions as I research agencies, rather than asking for specific leads.

Thanks so much!

~Tess

Old Hack · Dec 2, 2014

I used to know a whole bunch of Canadian writers and all the bigger-selling, book-writing ones had agents. Your figure of 30% does look low to me: but I wonder if that's because it includes poets and journalists, for example, many of whom won't need agents.

In your place I'd look for an American agent. Most of your sales are going to be in the US, so it makes sense to have an agent who understands that market well and to ensure that you'll only pay domestic commissions on those sales.

TessB · Dec 2, 2014

30 is apparently the number of working agents in Canada. I was wrong on the percentage, though - according to another source it's 20% have agents, not 10%.

From the Writers' Union of Canada

Many writers believe they must have a literary agent in order to get published, but this is not always the case. There are approximately thirty agents in Canada and, because there are so few, it can be difficult to find an agent who will represent you. Competition for agents is tough, but keep in mind that approximately eighty percent of published Canadian writers do not have agents at all.

Publishers.ca has a similar list of 23 Canadian agencies.

Aha - here's where I found the 10% figure. Literaryrejections.com has the same 'about 30' number as well.

So looking at that, compared to conversations on here with folks talking about querying 120 - 200 agents in a go, based on sheer numbers I'm better off turning to the American market. Do you think they're more or less likely to accept Canadian authors over homegrown ones?

Old Hack · Dec 2, 2014

TessB said:
30 is apparently the number of working agents in Canada. I was wrong on the percentage, though - according to another source it's 20% have agents, not 10%.

From the Writers' Union of Canada

Publishers.ca has a similar list of 23 Canadian agencies.

Aha - here's where I found the 10% figure. Literaryrejections.com has the same 'about 30' number as well.

Sorry, I misread your post: I thought you said 30% of Canadian writers have agents, not that there were only 30 Canadian agents.

So looking at that, compared to conversations on here with folks talking about querying 120 - 200 agents in a go, based on sheer numbers I'm better off turning to the American market. Do you think they're more or less likely to accept Canadian authors over homegrown ones?

You're looking at this wrong.

Books aren't all the same.

Some have no chance whatsoever of ever finding good representation, because they're so bad.

Some have a really good chance of finding representation because they're so very good.

What's important is how good your book is, and that you submit it appropriately.

The size of the market you submit it to (in this case, the pool of available agents) isn't the thing that dictates your odds of finding an agent.

ETA: Agents won't favour home-grown talent in favour of talent from across the border, by the way. They'll go for the most saleable book, every time.

jennontheisland · Dec 2, 2014

Unless you're writing CanLit and aiming entirley for a Canadian market, I doubt any of the Canadian agents would be interested.

TessB · Dec 2, 2014

Agents won't favour home-grown talent in favour of talent from across the border, by the way. They'll go for the most saleable book, every time.

Perfect - that's exactly what I needed to know. I'm still in the just-learning phase when it comes to agents, and sorting out expectations. (Now to go work on the actual writing!)

Much appreciated!

Toothpaste · Dec 2, 2014

Btw, Canadian author with a US agent here. Most of my author friends here also have US agents. It's a non-issue having an agent not in the country.

What you need to ask yourself is what kind of book you are writing. Does it even need an agent in the first place? Is it Can Lit (because then if you want an agent a Canadian agent is the way to go)? Make your decisions based on the market you are trying to reach with your particular book, not based on percentages or generalisations

.

TessB · Dec 2, 2014

My romances don't need one - I'm publishing with Samhain and it's all good there!

I have another manuscript in early stages (four chapters done, trunked for now, and a total structural revamp has to happen when I have time this spring) and that one is historical fantasy, definitely not CanLit. (Well, sort of. But that genre question is for a different thread.)

I'll be using a second pen name for that book and any subsequent historicals, to avoid crossing the streams.

I've been reading so much about logistics of agents and contracts now that I'm on AW that I've started trying to figure out if/what/whom would be necessary and/or appropriate. There's so much to keep track of! (Maybe I'll stay over in romance where it's just me and the editor and no queries asked.

)

wordsmithy · Jan 6, 2015

Thanks Tess, for starting this thread and doing some research on agents from a Canadian perspective! The Cdn literary agents I looked at did not consider romance at all, which disappointed but didn't surprise me.

If you ever do feel the need to get a Canadian agent and you find one who's amenable to romance, please post back - I'd love to know!

Marian Perera · Jan 7, 2015

TessB said:
My romances don't need one - I'm publishing with Samhain and it's all good there!

Just wanted to wave hi, as a fellow Canadian romance writer published with Samhain who's querying agents in the States.

Lauram6123 · Jan 7, 2015

wordsmithy said:
Thanks Tess, for starting this thread and doing some research on agents from a Canadian perspective! The Cdn literary agents I looked at did not consider romance at all, which disappointed but didn't surprise me.

If you ever do feel the need to get a Canadian agent and you find one who's amenable to romance, please post back - I'd love to know!

You might want to look at the P.S. Literary Agency in Ontario. Both Carly Watters and Curtis Russell accept romance queries.

wordsmithy · Jan 7, 2015

Lauram6123 said:
You might want to look at the P.S. Literary Agency in Ontario. Both Carly Watters and Curtis Russell accept romance queries.

Thank you!! I will!

Herstory · Jan 10, 2015

I'm a Canadian author with an American agent. I've researched Canadian agencies pretty thoroughly and most of them are interested in literary fiction, not genre/commercial fiction. American agents can submit to Canadian publishers also, so they're not limited to US publishers.

Captcha · Jan 10, 2015

Creepy - I'm another Canadian author published with Samhain, and I have an American agent.

I didn't even look up here. All the publishers I was interested in were in the US, so a US agent made sense.

It hasn't been an issue being in a different country - actually, lately, with the exchange rate where it is, it's been nice to know that the 15% my agent takes is more or less made up for by the exchange! It's like there's no commission at all!

Becca C. · Jan 10, 2015

Captcha said:
It hasn't been an issue being in a different country - actually, lately, with the exchange rate where it is, it's been nice to know that the 15% my agent takes is more or less made up for by the exchange! It's like there's no commission at all!

Really? That's interesting!

Another Canadian with an American agent here. We haven't even been on sub yet but so far the only thing location has to do with anything is a nice subject for small talk at the start of phone calls

Canadians and Eh-gencies?

TessB

The Boxing Baroness

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman

TessB

The Boxing Baroness

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman

jennontheisland

the world is at my command

TessB

The Boxing Baroness

Toothpaste

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!

TessB

The Boxing Baroness

wordsmithy

M/M Erotica Writer

Marian Perera

starting over

Lauram6123

wordsmithy

M/M Erotica Writer

Herstory

Captcha

Becca C.