Is writing a book of short stories likely to get me an agent?

Question

I am currently writing a book of short stories ( sci-fi ,horror ) I have never had my work published before ( but have not tried ) this will be the first time. Is it a good idea to start out as an author be writing a book of short stories. What type of books do literacy agents like for a first time author.
Also once I have an agent will book be likely to catch the eye of a publisher.

Answer 1

You have a much better chance of getting noticed by submitting your stories and magiziens to get published. Not People or Playboy, but find some with smaller circulation, local and regional in your bookstore. You'll find the address to send articles, stories and samples. These editors are much more likely to publish a story in a magazine, rather than a book publisher or agent taking a chance on an unknown. Keep in mind an agent will also want money to do what, by that time, you've already taught yourself to do.



Once you have a few published stories on you resume, your chances improve. And from there characters you take the time to develop, by writing and rewriting become much more interesting and your skills improve That's how Sherlock Holmes started.



Hope that helps!

Answer 2

It's literaRy agent. A literacy agent would be someone who matches up people who have poor reading and writing skills with people who can help them improve.



What type of books do literary agents like from first time authors? Books that they can sell to publishers, since that's how they make their money. An agent earns a living by taking a percentage of the writer's income as commission (typically 15%), so he won't take you on as a client unless he thinks there's a good chance he can persuade a publisher to publish your book.



Will a publisher be interested in a book of short stories by a first-time author? Well, ask yourself this. How many books of short stories have you seen in a bookshop (online or bricks and mortar) that were published within, say, the last five years? How many of those were the author's first book? Of those that were the first, how many contained only new stories (that is, stories that hadn't been previously published in a magazine or journal that publishes a lot of short stories)? I'll be very surprised if you can come up with a number greater than zero.

Answer 3

No. Short stories don't sell well, not unless you're an established author. As a result, publishers aren't buying them and literary agents aren't accepting them since publishers aren't buying them. Literary agents might be more likely to try to sell your short story collection if you also have a novel they want to represent.



There's nothing to be had from saying you're not published because you've never tried. You're either published or your not. There's no in-between. And you want to increase your chances of having short story collection published then you need to start submitting your work and getting it published in tier 1 magazines in order to get your name out there. Tier 1 mags are those that pay a professional rate of 5 cents per word or more. These are the only mags that are worth a publishing credit. I'm saying mags, but there are also websites and anthologies. Either way, they need to pay a professional rate.



And please don't call a Literary agent a Literacy agent. Those are two words with different meanings...



What types of books agents like is too broad a question and not something anyone can answer. Every agent has their own personal taste in literature and you get to know what they like by visiting the agents website and reading his/her submissions guidelines and also by reading any interviews, blogs, articles, twitter, facebook the agent has.



You can see if any legitimate ebook only publishers are willing to publish short story collections by unpublished authors.

Answer 4

No, a book of short stories is unlikely to get you an agent. Literary agents look for books that they can pitch and sell to publishers, first and foremost. How many books of short stories have you read this year? How many have recently been on bestseller lists? Not many. They're simply not in high demand, so it will be more difficult to land an agent with a book of short stories.

Answer 5

The % chance says that none of this is easy - the traditional route is to find an agent, they find a publisher. Agents get rooms full of submissions every year which get glanced at by recent college grads... there are many many people trying to do the same thing as you.



the less traditional approach is to do self publish or print on demand and then do your own promotion and hope to get noticed and read...

Answer 6

human beings do no longer purchase 100 web page short memories at bookstores. Like others have suggested, that is too short for a unique and too lengthy for a short tale. no one is going to make it right into a movie until eventually it truly is a fulfillment as a e book. that is the incorrect length to be a fulfillment as a e book. although, if that is lengthy sufficient to be a movie plot, it would want to favor to be a lengthy sufficient plot to boost to novel length. that is vanishingly unlikely to be "more advantageous useful than something so a techniques". have you ever even had it critiqued yet? Is it any more advantageous than a first draft? i'm afraid that remark in basic terms makes it sound as although you've not in any respect study something else. You own copyright on each and every little thing you write from the on the spot you position it down on paper. notwithstanding, like Sandor suggested, there is not any aspect registering it until eventually that is thoroughly performed - even if you promote it to a writer, they're going to make certain on variations and fixes, and the on the spot you adjust it your registered copyright is irrelevant.