Dear Editor…
In thinking about finding an agent to represent me, should location be a big consideration? Does it matter if an agent does not live in NY where I would like to submit manuscripts?
Thank you!
Lisa
Dear Lisa…
Location, location, location! may be a crucial motto for real estate, but it needs no place in your agent submission strategizing. Most business between agents and editors is conducted via email and phone, so your agent can live outside publishing’s NYC hub. And plenty do. (My agent for children’s books lives in Flagstaff, my agent for adult projects lives in San Diego, and my agent for Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies lives in Sacramento.) Those agents typically make semi-annual trips to the Big Apple, packing each day with editor meetings, and they supplement those trips with meet-ups at big industry events and conferences like Book Expo America or the Annual SCBWI Summer Conference. When you start talking representation with an agent, ask how s/he keeps ongoing relationships with editors fresh and forges new ones. This will give you a feel for the agent’s connections and networking prowess.
Happy writing!
The Editor