how do I find an agent?

[boglach]

I have just completed a fantasy novel for young adults. How do I go about finding an agent thanks

Get a copy of the children's writers and artists year book, there's a list of them. Have you let it rest for a while, then edited it as well?

Thanks

have ordered that book. Yes I left it for a couple of weeks before I edited it. I am quite happy with it but not sure if I need to edit it again

Don't send it anywhere if you think that it still needs work. Is is a first draft?

Where is the novel set? Does it have universal appeal? I'd personally try to opt for a US agent if you think you could sell into the US market. The UK market is really tough right now...

I think it does have universal appeal. I have edited my first draft and pretty happy with it. I have read it right through several times.

I reallt think it is a good story!

Personally, I'd try for a US agent, then. I think the best way to go about it would be to subscribe to Publisher's Marketplace for a couple months as you edit, search the deal listings/watch the new deals roll through (Publisher's Marketplace lists lots of deals done every day between agents and publishers) and work out which agents might be a great fit for your manuscript. It costs around USD$20 per month and you can stop at any time. There's also a mini free version available called Deal Lunch, I think. www.agentquery.com/ is also a really good resource.

In what way is UK market tough? I thought there was still a market for young adult fantasy/dystopia?

Thanks for advice though will look into that

I wouldn't send it out if it's a first draft and this is your first novel, not just yet anyway. I thought my first draft was great but, looking back at it, it was shit. I've just finished draft 8 (seriously) and I can really see the difference. Get a beta reader or join a critique group. I know it's tempting to send it off as soon as it's finished but only a handful of writers can pull this off. I'm not saying it's rubbish, I'm saying that you need to leave it for a few months, then you'll see things that you've missed.

Best of luck.

Boglach, YA is still an easier sell (Middle Grade for boys would probably be the easiest of all -- it's quite hot), but I personally think the UK is a much harder country to make an initial sale in than the US. It would be far easier to sell into the US and then sell your UK rights on, if that makes any sense.

As for dystopian, YA, the news from the Bologna Book Fair this week is that dystopian is now a really tough sell and that realistic/contemporary YA fiction is hotting up (which suits me fine -- my foreign rights agent was shopping a contemporary YA and a historical YA for me).

Sorry, mistakes everywhere. Supervising homework!