Because once you succeed in selling and marketing your work, you may get dream offers. If so, you might reconsider and take a second look at what an agency can do for you that you cannot.

Are you an expert at dealing with contracts? Can you recognize all the little tricks of the trade? If so, stick to your guns. But remember the old adage attributed to Abe Lincoln:” A man who represents himself in court has a fool for a client.” The same might be said of a successful author who acts as his own agent. This is true only if you hit the big time.

In case you do decide to contact an agent at any time, I want to share a few thoughts with you.

Number one on my list of things never to do, is to address a query to 30 or 40 agents or editors at the same time. I’m talking about listing them in the header of your query. We usually toss those without even reading the subject line. Someone sent me one yesterday addressed to at least 50 other agents. I took a moment and tried to figure out what their reasoning might be. Did the writer think I would immediately jump on the material, worried someone would beat me out of a bestseller? Really?

I’m not foolish enough to think authors aren’t submitting to more than one agent or editor at a time. I certainly do, but I never list them so everyone knows. By the same reasoning, don’t ever, ever, send material to all the agents at one agency. We do talk to one another.

I recently received a query stating the author had done his homework and investigated dozens of agents and agencies. It boiled down to me being the perfect person to represent his masterpiece. (Yes, that’s what he called it.) Unfortunately for him, he addressed the query to Ms. Gallagher. Lesson: Be very careful before you press the send button.

Never say you have copyrighted your book with the Library of Congress. Your book is copyrighted the moment you put the words on paper. To have it done officially, dates your material–forever. Let the publisher do that.

A book with a copyright date of 2013, and submitted in 2016, speaks volumes to an editor or agent. It means it’s been shopped around, a lot! If you are really worried someone will steal your material, register it with the Writers’ Guild, East or West. For a small fee they will record the work, proving when you wrote it. And then, unless you are submitting to an entertainment agent or producer, keep your mouth shut. Copyright marks and WGA numbers suggest you don’t trust us.

Name-dropping of famous people annoys most professionals. If you really have contacts, include a note from them and you’ll receive immediate attention. It doesn’t mean agents or editors will take it, but they will certainly have a quick look. Let’s face it, if James Patterson or Nora Roberts says your work is extraordinary, I will pant with excitement. If they have written a blurb or a preface for your book, send it along. Then celebrate by doing the naked chicken dance around your desk. Otherwise, don’t name-drop.

It goes without saying that you should research the agency or publishing house you are sending to. Then submit a clean, error free manuscript. Formatted to fit their submission guidelines.

Last (for now) on my list of suggestions of what not to do is what one famous agent calls “the no bullshit rule.” It means exactly what it says. If your book isn’t done, don’t say it is. Don’t make up kudos for yourself. Don’t brag, but don’t grovel either. And everyone’s favorite: Please, do not tell me your mother loved it.

I didn’t write this article in hopes of finding new clients, in fact, I am currently closed for submissions. Sorry. I need to devote my time to authors under contract to the agency. But I seriously look forward to chatting with other authors. Nobody “gets” us—like us. So write me if you feel like it and we can commiserate on the state of the writing business. Wish this site had a chat room.

Bio: Joyce Holland joined D4EO Literary Agency in late 2009 reading and recommending manuscripts. She is a former newspaper columnist for the Northwest Florida Daily News, past president and current conference coordinator for Emerald Coast Writers in Destin, Florida, and author of two nautical mysteries, Boat Dollies and Beyond Gulf Breeze (Deadly Alibi Press), the true crime book, My, My, Myra, and over two dozen short stories. Learn more  about her here.

Tor/Forge publishes science fiction and fantasy books. Run by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC, Tor/Forge is an imprint of Macmillan, one of the big five publishers. Tor is one of the most established science fiction publishers and they have won the Locus Award for best SF publisher 26 years in a row. They offer advances.

Some of the most popular books they recently published include V.E. Schwab’s A Darker Shade of Magic, Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake, Article 5 by Kristen Simmons, and The Emperor’s Blades by Brian Staveley. Historically they have published many of the best known Science fiction and fantasy novels including Enders Game by Orson Scott Card, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, and The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson.

The are open to unsolicited submissions from authors without an agent. All submissions should be made through the mail. They do not respond to queries. They consider tens of thousands of projects every year, so the competition is fierce. However, every proposal is reviewed by at least one member of the editorial staff.

Submission packets must include the first three chapters of your book. This excerpt should be between 40-60 pages. The submission packet must also include a dated cover letter, a self addressed and stamped envelope, a synopsis of the entire book that includes all important plot elements. If you have written or plan to write a whole series, only propose the first book, not the series as a whole.

Make sure you read their complete submission guidelines before submitting.Tom Doherty Associates also considers books in other genres as long as you follow the same guidelines and alert the correct editor. Other genres they consider include women’s literature and children’s books (although not picture books).

It is important to note that if you do not receive a reply after six months, please resubmit.

Learn more by reading their submission guidelines here (scroll down – the submission guidelines are near the bottom of the page).

The first online issue of tiny poetry, which houses both full-length works and tiny macros, is a unique collaboration. The journal features poems and images by artists as young as sixteen, some of whom created their pieces on smartphones and web browsers, as well as work by award-winning poets, writers, and designers. As tiny poetry grows, they hope to offer poetry and art to the public in a truly accessible format by sharing their journal free of cost from coast to coast—in prisons, halfway houses, nursing homes, and with other marginalized populations.

tiny poetry will be published online four times a year—in February, May, August, and November. Submissions are rolling and they do not  list any specific deadlines on their website, so make sure they are open to submissions (they are at the time of this articles publication).

Poets may submit up to five poems and up to ten image macros. Visual artists may submit up to five paintings, photographs, or graphic designs. Submissions should be accompanied by a biography, up to 300 words, noting relevant publications, fellowships, degrees, and accolades.

tiny poetry accepts submissions via email, but not online or by post. They ask that writers submitting image macros ensure that images and poems are not under copyright. Wholly original image macros are preferred.

If you would like to learn more or submit to tiny poetry, please visit their website at http://www.macropoetics.com/submit/