Alice Brinkman Literary Agency Welcomes You
Committed to Excellence
Alice Brinkman Literary Agency
Hello Writers! I will not be accepting any submissions at this time. I will be reading the submissions that I currently have received, and I will begin accepting submissions again on May 1, 2025. I am dedicated to reading every one of my submissions. I will announce this message again on May 1, 2025. Keep writing and keep the faith!
Alice Brinkman Literary Agency is owned and operated by me, Alice Brinkman. My commitment to you is to find you a publisher but I cannot guarantee how long it will take. This is a very tough business. I will do my best to find your writing a home. I cannot and will not promise you that will happen. Your writing stands alone when it gets into the hands of the editors who read the submissions. Like writers who may never hear back from agents, so it is, that I may never get any feedback unless I sort of beg for them to send me feedback which I do. It may seem shameless to the editors but I don't see the harm in asking for more than the usual rejection letter. I understand your pain in being what is perceived to be ignored but I also know firsthand it is impossible to respond to every person who submits a query. That is the honest truth. At present, I have three writers that I am working for. I have two readers, one in New York, and one in Oregon. They are both awesome. We read and then we share. I was recently approached by pocketfm.com to encourage writers who want to get their stories told to inquire at their site. I am not collaborating with them in any way, shape or form, or getting any kind of compensation from them. I am just passing on a message for some of you who are interested in other options to the traditional grind stone of the publishing industry. I won't lie to you it this is a "wicked hard," if you will indulge my favorite Boston phrase, to get published in the traditional sense. So, keep the faith writers, we writers truly are the stuff dreams are made of. I am working very hard trying to keep up with reading all the hundreds of query letters and PDF submissions I receive monthly. If I believe in your writing, then you can believe in me. Plain and simple. If your writing can immediately pull me into the world you have created to the point I do not want to put it down, then we will have further communication about signing a contract. I know that many if not all of you sending submissions to me are sending submissions to other agents, that is what you should be doing. So, keep writing! Please don't ever give up on your dream. Cheers, Alice.
Still reading...write on!!!
For those of you who are new to my website, welcome! If you are wanting to submit a query letter to me here, please include a brief synopsis of your work and 50 pages by PDF. Two bits of information, please proofread as much as possible. This is your job, and unfortunately, some of you out there think that there is someone out in the writer universe, who will do this for you but that is a huge error in judgment. Your writing is your writing, and it should be as error free as possible. I was a teacher for over two decades and I think I was born with a pen in my hand because I can't help spotting typos. But I do it too. I am working on my second book and I hate editing and revising but I love writing, so I do it. Typos will stop editors cold. Typos very well might cause an editor to throw your piece into the what they call, the "slush" pile, and then that is the end of it. It is a tedious thing to have to edit but we must if we are serious about our work. Second thing I want to say again, already said it once here, but I will repeat it. I told the people at pocketfm.com that I would put in a plug for them. I think there are some people who may want to get their writing out there immediately. This might be a way. I don't know, have not tried it. So, give them a look if you are interested. I am not getting anything from them whatsoever, no compensation, no nothing. Just want to help fellow writers. If you don't see a ship coming into port to unload your work soon enough, then give them a look. This business is brutal, and I say that mildly, it is harder than bricks to break through but some do. So hey, it might be you. Enough said. Keep the faith. Dreams can come true. Write on! Alice B
Step 1- How Do I Get Published?
It will take an enormous amount of faith for you to believe that I am the person who will work tirelessly getting your name out in the universe to as many publishers as possible. As well, it takes me hours and hours of cost free work to read submissions. I don't see a penny until you are signed. Once I finish reading your submission, and if your writing ignites a passion in me strong enough to contact you to see if you still need an agent, then I will contact you. That will be the only time you will hear from me. I will only reach out to you to discuss securing a written contract with you in order to pursue publishers on your behalf. I simply cannot reach out to every writer after I receive submissions. A writer looking for an agent must cast a large net to reach as many agents as possible. Once I have a signed contract with a writer, I will then move forward reaching out to publishers.
Step 2 - Trusting Alice Brinkman Literary Agency
When I have finished reading your work, I will contact you to discuss the details of where you are in your agent search and if you still need representation. We will get a chance to know each other at that time through email, zoom video calls, and phone conversations. I work remotely, and I engage with writers from all over the globe through my website and email. Being a writer myself, I know what a privilege it is for all of you who are submitting your work to me, and I will not waste your time or squash your dreams of getting published. If I agree to represent you, I will do my best to help you get there. Full disclosure, I have not had any of the people I represent signed on with a publisher yet. Like you, I rely on the editors at the Publishing institutions I send my clients' submissions to respond back immediately but that simply does not happen often. I have to be assertive and send an email back to them to see if they can elaborate on why they are passing on my clients' work. I honestly do this full-time because this is my business, and I believe in what I am doing. I cannot not promise you anything more than that. Believe me, I know this is agonizing at times and you may want to give up, but remember that old saying,"if it were easy, everyone would do it." Keep writing, keep submitting, and keep the faith. Alice
Signing on with Alice Brinkman
Once we both agree that I will represent you in finding a publisher, the contract will be explained, discussed and signed if all are in agreement. Only after I have a signed contract will I begin the footwork in getting your work out to the publishers. Remember no one makes a penny until a publisher signs you on. Keep the faith, this is not a fast process by any stretch of the imagination, and one must be patient and realistic going in on this venture. You have everything to gain, and nothing to lose, because a writer never stops writing. Keep a positive outlook no matter what happens. I am hoping that I am the one who will help you get published but I repeat, I am just the key to the door, your writing must have legs to stand up to the editors who are reading it. Keep the faith.
Get in Touch
I would like to see at least 50 pages of finished work if you have it. Some of you are saying that you have completed the manuscript but are only sending me a synopsis. It would help save time to include the pdf with your query/synopsis. Cheers!
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