Hello. I'm new here. Looking for some advice on the impenetretable world of publishing.

I'm planning to write to some agents about a novel I've recently completed. As I live in London, I'd thought about hand-delivering my letter, synopsis, etc. I initially thought of doing it as a way to save money on postage (every little helps!) but then I wondered whether it could also be a way of helping me get noticed. Is there any truth in this do you think? I know it's likely I'd only be handing it to the receptionist.

Also, I heard that agents are sometimes also enticed by the author as well as the book itself. For example, if the author has an interesting background or good looks it makes them more marketable. Is there truth in this do you think?

Alexia, I'd say by all means drop the MS round yourself to save the postage, but purely in the spirit of a delivery boy. As you say, hand it to the receptionist. You won't be the only one who ever has. As for more contact? Every agent in the world has had some really, really weird or even threatening encounters with wannabe authors, and they'll run a mile from a situation that looks as if they're going to be cornered. Making contact like that won't get your MS higher in the slushpile, but it might make them decide you're too likely to be trouble to read it in the first place.

As far interesting background goes, it seems to me - and to the agents and editors I know - that the writing comes first. The book has to be good enough. When it is good enough, and an agent starts thinking, 'Who could I sell this too, and how?' the fact that it's a thriller set on an oil rig and you worked on one (which you said, briefly, in your covering letter), may make them think, 'yes, an editor will see that there's a good publicity angle to this.' but it's only really an extra. Or if you're drop dead stunning - which the agent won't know unless they like the book enough to invite you to meet them - then it won't do you any harm either. But lots of authors are incredibly boring (in fact, most of us are, which isn't surprising since we spend our lives at home, writing) and many of them are startlingly un-stunning to look at, and they still get published.

Emma

I hand-delivered a few submissions of my first (crappy!) novel, because several agents and publishers were very close to where I worked, and it seemed silly to pay for postage. I found the experience excruciating and wouldn't do it again!

Most of the offices were so small that they weren't really set up for visitors - I felt that I was invading their space, and ended up very intimidated and flustered!

It was less embarrassing at bigger companies, where there's a proper reception area and you're not just barging unannounced into someone's workplace, and I suppose if you're really confident and/or spectacular-looking then you could probably brazen it out, but I wouldn't recommend it.

So, can we take it that you are both interesting and stunning then Alexia?

I think what Emma says is important and true: a good agent will be interested primarily in the quality of your writing, and all the other stuff comes second. Nothing wrong with posting submissions - they expect it, anyway.

Scout's point is a good one: lots of agents are one-man or one-woman bands, or maybe have a single assistant, and for me personally, the thought of walking in and them being embarrassed (because in statistical fact the odds on your MS being one they want are so tiny, and they know it) and me trying to be fascinating (stunning is past praying for) and so on, is the stuff of nightmares. Worth any number of stamps to forestall that. There's always second class...

Emma

I agree with what's already been said. The writing comes first. It's only if that's what they like, first and foremost, that they will follow it up with aspects of you that are marketable. Which is a shame when all your friends sit back saying, 'Oh, you have nothing to worry about. You're pretty.' Ha ha. If only it were that easy.

Thanks for all that advice. It's really useful! Don't think I'll bother with the hand delivery thing (or if I do, it'll be more a case of - stick it through the letterbox and run!).

And, Katerine, I'm neither interesting or stunning (unfortunately) but I was wondering how helpful it would be if I could try and make myself one of both of those things!

How's this for funny? I let the agent I'm dealing with look at my Gaydar profile. I wasn't going to admit that here, but well, why the hell not? I'm not proud. We were having a laugh over the phone and I mentioned it in passing, in relation to websites and reaching people over the internet. It was purely meant as a joke. Next thing I know, he'd persuaded me to do something I thought I'd never do in a professional discussion. I guess that's a good quality in an agent. He wasn't phased though.

For shame.

JB

I agree that the 'turning up with manuscript' has the potential to be awkward/embarrrasing - and also that it's the writing a potential agent will be interested in rather than looks, etc.

However, it is good if one can meet prospective agents - ways that it can happen include...

* going to talks they're giving (I've been to ones at Women in Journalism and Women Writers' Network where agents have spoken and on both occasions it was considered ok for audience members to queue up afterwards to ask extra questions - and hand over a manuscript in some instances (think this might work well - it gets you past the work-experience person who goes through the slush pile and also if the agent doesn't have anything to read in the taxi home they might flick through your work... I don't think this approach would be too pushy as the agent is expecting to be approached under these circumstances - as opposed to 'just dropping in'.
* I think some writing festivals (I'm thinking in particular of Winchester but there are others) have arrangements where you can book a 10-15 minute chat with an agent- would be ok to hand over there.
* social events - the Romantic Novelists' Association, Crime Writers Association have parties where agents, publishing people often turn up - I know of several people who've met their agents via these routes

Also, 'turning up with manuscript' exposes you to a certain vulnerabilty, because your behaviour and attitude will also be judged along with your work.

It seems a little too pushy to me. Being pushy is the agent's job, not ours. We're just quietly desperate.

JB

I did this once. An agent who lives in Oxford. He took my submission happily enough and recommended that I also submitted to David Fickling - a children's publisher who is also in Oxford, and naive me, I didn't know that.

Went home and emailed Fickling - he responded within 5 mins to say he wanted the whole ms.

Months later, both agent and publisher rejected the ms. But in the meantime I'd been able truthfully to mention to other agents that Fickling had asked for a full ms within minutes of reading my email pitch. I'm pretty sure that this was one factor which edged the agent who finally took me on to look at my partial submission (he rarely accepts unsolicited ms).

So...all in all...not the result I initially hoped for, but that personal visit resulted in something which was, at the time, pretty exciting for me.

Live dangerously - but be cool and calm when you do the bold thing.

I think a lot depends on the circumstances and your own sense of confidence and luck.

I think if people feel you are being pushy the shutters can come down.

I attended a Myslexia workshop held locally - thought it couldn't harm to meet the editor - mentioned at the end that I'd recently submitted a story. She was perfectly polite but you could see that by then her mind was on the end of the session and packing up and a night in a strange town.

There was another occasion at the local literary festival when an author asked me in the kitchen what I did - so I told them - and it killed the conversation dead. Probably because they were terrified I was going to pull out an ms then and there and threaten them with it! To be fair said author very helpful at the question and answer session later.

And I once hand delivered some books to our local paper for review and a giveaway prize competition - an anthology by my writers group - handed them in at reception - then spent ages obsessing as to whether they ever reached the person they were meant for - suspect they didn't!

But then I have learned the hard way that I am not good at face to face - had to buy three books at Waterstones once before I summoned up courage just to hand in a competition entry!

Sarah