[M T McGuire]

This sounds amazing but to be honest, I can understand the attitude shown here. When I was a marketing manager I used to get hundreds of contacts from people wanting me to advertise in their magazines. Some phoned, some e-mailed or wrote but if I didn't tell them no straight off they always chased and chased, so to give myself some quiet time to reflect on their proposal I would always turn it down. Later, when I'd evaluated their publications and made a decision I would take the initiative and approach them. I suspect in the world of publishing there is no time and no later so everyone without an 'in' gets a flat no by return just to keep the piles manageable.

I'm not sure what's worse, that or the way it took me 18 months to approach and hear back from 3 agents and a publisher. Some publishers, and all agents, like you to approach them one by one here in the UK. I could do that, but barring one who worked like I do and came back to me with a polite no in 24 hours, I doubt I could get through my approach list before my death from old age.

People do business with people so I suspect the only way to get an agent in the uk these days is if you meet one at a convention or course and they like you. Otherwise I suspect you have to be a) already famous for something else, b) know somebody who is a literary agent c) happen to be writing the next hottest genre/style d) have self published an earlier book and sold several thousand copies e) be drop dead lucky.

On the other hand, I dislike the way agents and even some book stores, treat me, as an author trying to sell my book, like some kind of stalker. I believe everyone deserves to be treated with respect until they've proved otherwise. Unfortunately in the world of literature this maxim seems to be applied the other way around. This is what has driven me to self publish.

Cheers

MTM