| These days it's common knowledge that it's | | | | M. Stringer, founder and CEO of Triple Crown |
| hard to meet an agent or an editor through an | | | | Publications. The courses can cost as little |
| unsolicited mailing. They are more likely to | | | | as $30 or $40 and last about three hours so |
| pay attention to a submission coming from | | | | you have some time to find out if the |
| someone they have met in person. To that end, | | | | instructor can help you or point you in the |
| writers flock to conferences so they can get | | | | direction of someone who can. |
| some face time with real live agents and | | | | |
| editors. And that's great. I believe writers | | | | Remember the agent or editor probably has |
| should get out and network. But those | | | | aspiring authors handing them manuscripts all |
| conferences can be pricey. It's best to | | | | the time, so make sure you stand out from the |
| combine attending conferences with a few | | | | pack. Have a killer query letter and synopsis |
| other strategies that are easier on your | | | | (if your book is a novel) or book proposal |
| wallet. Here are 3 you may find useful. | | | | (for non-fiction works) at the ready. You'll |
| | | | make a great impression simply because you're |
| 1.) Attend Author Readings | | | | not making them lug a 500-page behemoth home |
| | | | in their briefcase! |
| Make a point of keeping track of writers who | | | | |
| do work similar to yours. When they're in the | | | | 3.) Look for Agents and Editors Who Have |
| vicinity go hear them read. Sometimes--not | | | | Their Own Personal Websites |
| all the time--but sometimes the author's | | | | |
| agent and editor will be in the audience. If | | | | When you come across the name of an agent or |
| they aren't, see if you can steal a few | | | | editor who may be appropriate for you, Google |
| moments with the writer and ask with whom he | | | | them to see if they have their own websites |
| or she works and whether they have been | | | | with email addresses that may be different |
| pleased with the experience. You can either | | | | from their corporate mailboxes. Some are |
| ask for an introduction or contact the people | | | | authors themselves (like literary agent |
| on your own. If you're going to do the | | | | Donald Maass, author of Writing the Breakout |
| former, first develop a rapport with the | | | | Novel) and have books of their own to |
| writer and stay in touch. They may not feel | | | | promote. Email them and, again, try to |
| comfortable referring you to their agent or | | | | develop a rapport and get a sense of what |
| editor right off the bat, but in time as they | | | | they're working on and what they're looking |
| get to know you and your work, an | | | | for. It's best to know as specifically as |
| introduction may be a possibility. | | | | possible before going through the trouble of |
| | | | making a submission. I recently heard about a |
| 2.) Attend Classes Offered by Continuing | | | | writer who submitted to an agent looking for |
| Education Groups Such As The Learning Annex | | | | African American authors, but in fact the |
| | | | agent was looking for African American |
| Agents and editors are in the business of | | | | authors who wrote urban romance--which was |
| looking for the next hot writer and making a | | | | not the writer's genre at all. |
| name for themselves in the publishing world. | | | | |
| That's why you'll often find agents and | | | | One Last Note: These ideas should get you |
| editors teaching classes related to their | | | | started and I hope they'll inspire you to try |
| work at places such as The Learning Annex, | | | | other creative routes. It does get easier |
| which has locations in New York City, Los | | | | because you will find that as you go to more |
| Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, | | | | events and tell more people what you're |
| Minneapolis, Chicago, Atlanta and Boston ( | | | | doing, the more likely you will be to find |
| Recent instructors include literary agent | | | | the connector that will build the path |
| Katharine Sands, editor Marcela Landres | | | | between you and your future agent or editor. |
| (formerly of Simon & Schuster) and Vickie | | | | |