Sound Advice

Until David Csontos, who at the time was with Frances Goldin's agency, strongly urged me to get some credentials, I hadn't paid much attention to literary journals and the like. He was so insistent in his rejection of my query, making a definite point that writers need publishing credentials, that I began the process of scribing short pieces and sending them off.

A check of the Agent Query website indicated that Ellen Geiger, also employed by Ms. Goldin, was taking a long vacation. Clicking on the link, just to see what (or who) might be new to the agency, I saw that Mr. Csontos was gone. It was a short ride, but I hope it was a glorious one.

If a literary agent were limiting his clients to the previously published, and he's only a hatchling himself, there won't be a line out the door. Potential authors in need of agenting will often look to the newest member of an established company, assuming that said rookie is hungry and willing to do the tough work to make his name. Limiting the client list to the more stellar authors, the ones who might attract a glimmer of interest from a heavyweight, may have been Mr. Csontos' downfall.

Wherever he is, I hope he does well, but I'd not recommend the commodities market for one who looks for the sure thing. As for me, I've had one story published and there's a pile of submissions waiting, and we'll see if getting some credentials will make any difference when it comes to snagging the elusive agent.