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FinePrint Literary Management

AuburnAssassin

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So do you know which publishers have already been solicited? Because let's say Brendan only submitted to one large house before he left. You, as an unagented author, can't typically submit directly to the big houses but you could submit to say Samhain or one of the other publishers that allow direct solicitation. But, if you contract with a new agent, I would imagine that that agent would want to know how many publishers are already spoken for by FP, representation wise, and if it's not very many, your chances of landing a new agent are better. True?

Is it logical to assume that FP is waiting to learn the fate of Brendan's submissions on your behalf before they make any fish or cut bait decisions?

I hope I'm not offending or being insensitive with my matter of fact questioning. I'm just really wanting to learn more about this. I do sympathize with Brendan's former clients for the frustration and anxiety you must be feeling.
 

DavidD

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Ah, therein lies another problem!

Brendan sent me the list of the publishers to whom he submitted the book. (Not the editors, just the publishers.) Later, just before he left FP, Brendan passed on a rejection from one of those publishers.

I've asked FP to update me on the status of the remaining submissions. I think I've asked twice. No response.

It could be that they're all holding on to the ms. and haven't made a decision. It could be that one or more of them sent in some requested changes, saying they'd be interested in buying the book of those changes were made; I'd certainly like to know about that. Golly, it could even be that one or more of those publishers has made an offer to buy the book; I'd really, REALLY like to know that!

But I know nothing about it because no one will tell me anything.
 

Ken

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... regarding contracts, when I wrote to Suzie on the 12th she also let me know that:

If we have not yet submitted your book to editors, even though agents here continue to look at material from Brendan's clients, we would understand if you wish to simultaneously look around for another agent who will embrace you and your work as enthusiastically as Brendan did. Be assured we will be in touch as soon as we are able to evaluate each client/project. If you have an agency agreement under these circumstances, please consider this a waiver of any further obligations you have to us. You are free to sign an agreement with another agent.

This took a lot of pressure off the situation, in addition to letting me know where I stood. This passage has a form ring to it so I'm sure others received such too, but she did address my own particular concerns at the outset of the letter which was cool and appreciated. So was this formal release. (There was still the expectancy that I'd be hearing from Colleen, of course, which I never did.)

Hang in there David. Things often have a tendency of working out for the best in the long run :)
 
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DavidD

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Thanks, Ken. I haven't received that, but it could be coming soon.

Given that the book was sent to all the likely major markets already, I'll probably wait till I have another book ready and will query with that one.
 

Ken

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... this website rocks! :)

No word from FinePrint for nearly 3 months. That quickly changed after my posts here. Within hours I got an email from Colleen and then another that night from Suzie who apologized for the delay and for my not having heard anything. Speaking to Colleen on my behalf, she also let me know the score. It wasn't the outcome I was seeking, but I am glad to have everything officially settled :) edt: 'settled' regarding my evaluation as a potential client. Not in regards to my contractual release as was given back in February, as mentioned in the post above.

I mentioned in my reply emails to Colleen and Suzie that I hoped they'd be getting back to others who are in similar situations as I was. To those who are, stay strong and start polishing those queries. Setbacks are always tough, but life wouldn't be worth much without a fair share of challenges.
 
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Brendan Deneen

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If any former clients need to reach me, I'm not hard to find.

[email protected]

Ken, very few of my former clients haven't found homes, so please don't go around posting otherwise. I have busted my ass making sure my "hundreds" of former clients have found representation. I take offense to any suggestion otherwise.

David, if you need more specific info about publishers/editors, feel free to reach out. As you know, I would love for your book to find a home (perhaps here at SMP). I remain a big time fan of your work.

This whole trend of airing dirty laundry online is both amusing and distressing.
 

Chumplet

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Hi Sean, and welcome.

Sorry if your first impression of AW is a little sour. We are a great community of writers, but we are also humans. Just like any water cooler, you'll get a few tears mixed in with the laughter, and a good sprinkling of great advice. Hope you stick around and get to know everyone.
 

Ken

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... I stand by my posts and will let others decide, for themselves, whether they're worthy of inclusion in this thread or not.
 
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AuburnAssassin

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Well, it IS a bewares and background thread and as such it's helpful to read about a variety of experiences. Frankly, I think it speaks volumes about FinePrint's professionlism that both Colleen and Suzie got back to Ken and that Brendan also posted here. Even if it was posts here that sparked such. Everyone gets busy, gets behind and /or makes mistakes, but it's how they respond and try to make good that speaks just as highly (if not more so) of their professionalism.
 
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MacAllister

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Well, it IS a bewares and background thread and as such it's helpful to read about a variety of experiences. Frankly, I think it speaks volumes about FinePrint's professionlism that both Colleen and Suzie got back to Ken and that Brendan also posted here. Even if it was posts here that sparked such. Everyone gets busy, gets behind and /or makes mistakes, but it's how they respond and try to make good that speaks just as highly (if not more so) of their professionalism.
I just wanted to reiterate this. Several agents from Fineprint have repeatedly gone way above and beyond the call of duty to put in time both in this thread and elsewhere on the boards (for which they get nothing beyond goodwill, by the way) answering questions, addressing concerns, being civil, charming, delightful, and otherwise making themselves both accessible and available to the AW community.

... I stand by my posts and will let others decide, for themselves, whether they're worthy of inclusion in this thread or not.
And Ken, you are verging on rather melodramatic and not particularly helpful, there. Ease up a bit, 'kay?

Sean, Brendan, it's a pity you think asking questions amounts to "Fineprint bashing"; it's not a view I happen to share. By the way, Sean, I left a note in your rep comments regarding a question I have about your IP.

I think reasonable questions, civilly asked, are worth the time it takes for someone to answer. It sounds like people had quite reasonably been emailing their questions directly to the agency and in some cases, not hearing anything; repeating those questions here, then, seems both reasonable and helpful to other people in the same boat--this thread tends to function as part support-group for writers in the query process with Fineprint, as well as a central pool of information where people share their experiences.

To try to shame people with derogatory little digs like "airing dirty laundry online" for asking those very reasonable questions doesn't make those questions less reasonable, nor less civil.
 
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angelfrancis

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I just wanted to reiterate this. Several agents from Fineprint have repeatedly gone way above and beyond the call of duty to put in time both in this thread and elsewhere on the boards (for which they get nothing beyond goodwill, by the way) answering questions, addressing concerns, being civil, charming, delightful, and otherwise making themselves both accessible and available to the AW community.

I couldn't agree more. Despite whatever is being said, Fineprint is great. I think everyone has their concerns and worries, but this was a change, and everyone has felt it. You have to remember they are people, it takes time, and people get overwhelmed. The agents and Brendan have gone above and beyond to reach out on this thread and ease our minds, as well as giving us insightful information. I’m grateful for that.
 

Aubie

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YA word count for Janet Reid

Hi All,

Quick question. I am almost finished w/my WIP, a YA that I think is going to round out at about 45K, maybe a bit more. I've read on Janet's blog not to query if you have under 50K, but I have also read here on the boards that acceptable word count for YA is between 45-65K, sometimes even a bit lower. I know Janet takes YA.

So my question is, will Janet really not take anything under 50K, even YA? I thought maybe she made that post before she started repping that genre or something.

I need help! I would love to have her as an agent, but I don't know if I can pull out another 5K other than fluff that would be cut anyway!
 

Aubie

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Thanks Angel! Hopefully I'll be ready to query soon. Janet is at the top of my list, along with Kristin Nelson. Wishful thinking, I know, but I can dream! :)
 

angelfrancis

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We have to dream, right? Sometimes we get lucky and it happens. Mine was Holly Root, that didn't turn out, but the more I research, the more agents I get excited over. Good luck! I really hope things work out for you!
 

Colleen Lindsay

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Hi All,

Quick question. I am almost finished w/my WIP, a YA that I think is going to round out at about 45K, maybe a bit more. I've read on Janet's blog not to query if you have under 50K, but I have also read here on the boards that acceptable word count for YA is between 45-65K, sometimes even a bit lower. I know Janet takes YA.

Aubie -

Some of the published YA authors that Fineprint agents have sold have written books that were fewer than 45k. With a lot of mainstream YA, the spare and lean prose works very well. It becomes more problematic when you're writing a paranormal, because you need to allow for extra words when you're adding your world building.

I'd say if you feel you have enough words to tell your story well, that's probably enough. (Hopefully that makes sense!)

Best.

Colleen

Edit to add: I meant to say that I believe both of Courtney Summers' books are less than 50k. She can confirm that herself, of course. But pretty sure!
 
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Shady Lane

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Aubie -

Some of the published YA authors that Fineprint agents have sold have written books that were fewer than 45k. With a lot of mainstream YA, the spare and lean prose works very well. It becomes more problematic when you're writing a paranormal, because you need to allow for extra words when you're adding your world building.

I'd say if you feel you have enough words to tell your story well, that's probably enough. (Hopefully that makes sense!)

Best.

Colleen

Edit to add: I meant to say that I believe both of Courtney Summers' books are less than 50k. She can confirm that herself, of course. But pretty sure!

I'm repped by Suzie, and I don't think I've written anything longer than 50K...ever...
 

MacAllister

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<snip>
I joined AW to be part of a positive community of writers, but I have to say that I see a lot of needless drama on these boards. I have twin nine-year old girls; I get enough drama at home, thanks.

Hi Sean, and welcome.

Sorry if your first impression of AW is a little sour. We are a great community of writers, but we are also humans. Just like any water cooler, you'll get a few tears mixed in with the laughter, and a good sprinkling of great advice. Hope you stick around and get to know everyone.

Guys, you'll notice Sean Laughing Otter has been banned. It's a sockpuppet identity, not just another writer, who just happens to be disappointed in AW's level of discourse. "Sean" is not actually addressing any of us in good faith.

I'd really prefer that the person who built the sockpuppet take responsibility, so I'm not, at this time, going to tell you who it is.
 
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