Dear Mr. Bloom, I have been reading your Cli-Fi blog, and I’d greatly appreciate a moment of your time.
I have just completed a contemporary literary cli-fi novel. It is a thought-provoking and emotionally intense character-driven story that will appeal to anyone who is struggling with the question of how to live in a world that seems to be on the brink of collapse.
As a first time novelist, I am new to the publishing side of the industry, and in search of agents or publishers who are interested in climate fiction. If you know of anyone that I could contact, I would be very appreciative.
I have provided a brief synopsis of my novel below, just an fyi.
Sincerely,
[Guest Writer]
Mini Synopsis: [and YES THIS IS A CLi Fi Literary Fiction Novel a la ''FLIGHT BEHAVIOR'' by Barbara Kingsolver!]
Through a letter, a middle aged woman reaches out to two friends from long ago. They alll dread the thought of waking the sleeping dragons of their collective history, but old loyalties, and old fears, propel them forward.
In a desert house, the three friends come together for the first time in 19 years.
KEY: Over a period of days, they reconnect, open old wounds and reveal deep secrets that shaped their pasts and transform their futures in ways that none of them could have imagined.
KEY: Over a period of days, they reconnect, open old wounds and reveal deep secrets that shaped their pasts and transform their futures in ways that none of them could have imagined.
DAN BLOOM notes:
When I read this letter and the synopsis, [changed here to keep the story more or less private,] but you get a sense of what this writer is doing. I see THE BIG CHILL kind of novel with a movie to follow. A literary novel about climate change but very character-driven and reality based. Similar to what Barbara Kingsolver did with FLIGHT BEHAVIOR, a literary novel of the first order
I wrote back to the writer:
''Thanks for writing. This novel sounds very interesting and I love the synopsis. If I ran a publishing house, I would send you a contract right now. Alas, I am just a PR guy....
But I love the story. And it's not dystopian end of the world survivalist science fiction YA FANTASY. Literary fiction is best way to go. Cli fi is serious!
We face major issues and storytelling can help us see the way via emotion and story.
Sadly, the publishing business is rigged. To get in the door, you need an agent. To get an agent you must have a major bestseller already published to wide acclaim. The doors are closed, more or less, although a few exceptions happen too. But rarely. Sigh.
The self publishing route is one way to go. Keep looking for an agent too.
Tell me , where are you located? Is there a local literary press there? Starting local is good. I know some publishers but almost all of them want to go through an agent. And agents are part of this catch-22 rigged game.
Still, there's hope. I live on hope. Some publishers DO open their doors to newbies . So tell more about who you are and yr earlier background, college and what major etc .
Sincerely,
Dan Bloom
Curator, THE CLI FI REPORT
cli-fi.net
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