The copyright office has a new program for online copyright registration, with online forms, uploading of digital files, and credit card payments.

All copyright registration packages must go through a screening process to check for Anthrax and explosives. Registration takes a lot longer than it used to. This screening process sometimes results in damage to submitted works.

The copyright office does not actually store most of the works sent to them for registration, which should be an interesting problem if ( more like when ) the noxious Orphan Works Bill passes. So you may want to save yourself some postage and the cost of the books and register online.

If you have ever been unfortunate enough to witness a message board discussion about copyright or trademark, not only does the false information circulate faster than the accurate information, but you could save yourself a lot of time and trouble by not going to message boards to get your info. Go to the official copyright and trademark offices FAQs pages on line. Most of your questions about copyright and trademark can be answered there for free.

The copyright FAQ page is here.

For answers on trademarks and patents go here .

This was reposted from the old website, and I hate losing some of the great comments from readers. But here’s one I just couldn’t say goodbye to from Arlnee:

I just got through reading about this girl who is SUPER obsessed with a certain anime series and its main character in particular, so much so that she claims she “owns”it. Her proof is an autograph by the character’s ENGLISH DUB VOICE ACTOR under the words “(Anime character) belongs to (girl’s name)”.

I can’t count how many levels of pathetic I found this, either the idea that she could believe the voice actor had ANY rights over the character he’s voicing, or that she thought others might believe it. I’ve heard of similar stories through fandom through the years but none so egregious. And yes, apparently she is over 18. sigh

I’m afraid there are plenty of crazies out there with weird ideas about copyright and trademark, and we can’t do much about them. But, they confuse matters with their online nattering. There are also plenty of well meaning types out there who post disinformation and really, really don’t have a clue what they are talking about.

Make things easy on yourself and go directly to the official information resources.

The four part graphic novel agent post from the old blog has been moved here and consolidated into one massive post. If you would like to be included on this list or have an update, please contact me. I compiled this list some months back, but I am sure folks have moved on.

I’ve double checked every agent I am listing against the lists at Predators and Editors. Even experienced pros will get some use out of this alphabetical listing of editors, publishers, and agents.

This direct link goes right to the agent page where agents are rated. A dollar sign appears next to their name to show they have actually made sales, and if they have a bad rep or conflict of interest concern, you’ll see it.

You’ll also find handy etiquette tips and guides for submissions.

Everyone who appears on the graphic novel agent list here has a good rep, but remember, you are entirely responsible for doing your own legwork. Listings on the Predators and Editors site can be a little out of date. Note that under the publishers listings, many well-known comics companies are not listed at all. However, the notorious Tightlip Entertainment gets the Not Recommended tag, as well it should.

No matter what, you are ultimately responsible for doing your own research and checking out the reputation of clients.

Before you go on, you need to read this post from nearly four years ago by Neil Gaiman: “Everything you wanted to know about literary agents.”

Some of the links are kaput, so too bad. All of the advice, however, is golden. Please read and bookmark.

You should not even be looking for an agent until you have absorbed the information about what to do before you get one.

I cringe when I see what young newbies have sent to agents and editors. You can blow a gig so easily. Do a little legwork and find out what agents and editors want to see before you contact them.

By the way newbies out there, you do yourself no favor whatsoever by indicating to a potential client that you are amenable to working on spec. Working on spec because you are desperate to get a gig is for people who will spend their entire careers working on spec.

And I highly recommend you take the time to read my posts HERE. VERY BAD PUBLISHERS is a series about my early years in publishing, followed by more recent posts about other bad clients, lousy contract scams, creepy book packagers and more. There’s quite a lot to read. They start out a bit slow, but I guarantee you will find them worthwhile.

Daniel Lazar

Writers House
21 West 26th Street
New York, NY 10010

dlazar@writershouse.com

FICTION GENRES
Literary Fiction | Mystery | Commercial Fiction | Women’s Fiction | Historical Fiction | Young Adult | Thrillers/Suspense | Gay & Lesbian | Middle Grade | Graphic Novels

NONFICTION GENRES
Memoirs | Narrative | Gay & Lesbian | Humor

Sam Stoloff

Frances Goldin Literary Agency
57 East 11th Street, Suite 5B
New York, NY 10003

ss@goldinlit.com
* Does not accept email queries.

FICTION GENRES
Literary Fiction | Short Stories | Multi-Cultural | Offbeat/Quirky | Graphic Novels

NONFICTION GENRES
History | Sports | Biography | Food & Lifestyle | Politics | Science | Multi-Cultural | Cookbooks | Memoirs | Current Affairs | Women’s Issues | Pop Culture | Narrative | Psychology | Nature/Ecology | Cultural/Social Issues | Humor | Journalism

* This agent accepts queries

Victoria Sanders

Victoria Sanders & Associates
241 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 11H
New York, NY 10014

queriesvsa@hotmail.com

FICTION GENRES
Literary Fiction | Chick Lit | Mystery | Commercial Fiction | Women’s Fiction | Historical Fiction | Thrillers/Suspense | Children’s | Multi-Cultural | Graphic Novels

NONFICTION GENRES
History | Biography | Parenting | Multi-Cultural | Memoirs | Dating/Relationships | Spirituality | Photography | Humor

* This agent accepts queries

Howard Yoon

Gail Ross Literary Agency
1666 Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite 500
Washington, DC 20009

howard@gailross.com
* Does not accept email queries.

FICTION GENRES
Commercial Fiction

NONFICTION GENRES
Biography | Religion | Politics | Medical | Science | Memoirs | Spirituality | Current Affairs | Business | Women’s Issues | Pop Culture | Narrative | Finance | Health & Fitness | Humor

* This agent accepts queries

Vicky Bijur

Vicky Bijur Literary Agency
333 West End Avenue , Apt. 5B
New York, NY 10023

assistant@vickybijuragency.com

FICTION GENRES
Literary Fiction | Mystery | Thrillers/Suspense | Graphic Novels

NONFICTION GENRES
History | Biography | Food & Lifestyle | Politics | Medical | Science | Parenting | Self-Help | Cookbooks | Memoirs | Current Affairs | Women’s Issues | Narrative | Psychology | Health & Fitness | Nature/Ecology | Cultural/Social Issues | Journalism

* This agent accepts queries

Warren Frazier

John Hawkins & Associates, Inc.
71 West 23rd Street, Suite 1600
New York, NY 10010

frazier@jhalit.com

FICTION GENRES
Literary Fiction | Short Stories | Offbeat/Quirky | Graphic Novels

NONFICTION GENRES
History | Science | Business | Technology

* This agent accepts queries

Matthew Elblonk

The Creative Culture
72 Spring Street, Suite 304
New York, NY 10012

submissions@thecreativeculture.com

FICTION GENRES
Literary Fiction | Commercial Fiction | Humor/Satire | Young Adult | Offbeat/Quirky | Graphic Novels

NONFICTION GENRES
Science | Drama/Music | Pop Culture | Narrative | Humor

* This agent accepts queries

David Kuhn

Kuhn Projects LLC
126 Fifth Avenue, Suite 3A
New York, NY 10011

*Does not accept email queries.

FICTION GENRES
Graphic Novels

NONFICTION GENRES
History | Celebrity | Biography | Art | Narrative | Journalism | Home/Design

* This agent does not currently accept unsolicited queries

Shannon O’Keefe

The Park Literary Group
270 Lafayette Street, Suite 1504
New York, NY 10012

* Does not accept email queries.

FICTION GENRES
Literary Fiction | Mystery | Commercial Fiction | Young Adult | Graphic Novels

NONFICTION GENRES
Sports | Drama/Music | Cookbooks | Memoirs | Travel | Pop Culture

* This agent accepts queries

Elizabeth Jote

Objective Entertainment
265 Canal Street, Suite 603 B
New York, NY 10013

ej@objectiveent.com

FICTION GENRES
Literary Fiction | Chick Lit | True Crime | Mystery | Commercial Fiction | Women’s Fiction | Romance | Historical Fiction | Young Adult | Thrillers/Suspense | Multi-Cultural | Adventure | Offbeat/Quirky | Graphic Novels

NONFICTION GENRES
History | Celebrity | Biography | Religion | Food & Lifestyle | Politics | Parenting | How-To | Drama/Music | Self-Help | Adventure/True Story | Current Affairs | Business | Pop Culture | Narrative | Psychology | Health & Fitness | Photography | Film & Entertainment | True Crime | Cultural/Social Issues

* This agent accepts queries

Colleen Lindsay

FinePrint Literary Management, LLC
240 W 35th Street, Suite 500
New York, NY 10001

colleen (at) fineprintlit.com

FICTION GENRES
Literary Fiction | Science Fiction | Chick Lit | Mystery | Horror | Commercial Fiction | Fantasy | Women’s Fiction | Humor/Satire | Family Saga | Young Adult | Thrillers/Suspense | Multi-Cultural | Adventure | Gay & Lesbian | Offbeat/Quirky | Graphic Novels

NONFICTION GENRES
History | Celebrity | Biography | Food & Lifestyle | Politics | Science | How-To | Multi-Cultural | Self-Help | Memoirs | Travel | Adventure/True Story | Dating/Relationships | Current Affairs | Business | Women’s Issues | Pop Culture | Narrative | Health & Fitness | Pets | Gay & Lesbian | Film & Entertainment | Cultural/Social Issues | Technology | Humor

* This agent accepts queries

Evan Goldfried

William Morris Agency
1325 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10019

ejg@wma.com

FICTION GENRES
Literary Fiction | Science Fiction | Mystery | Horror | Commercial Fiction | Fantasy | Romance | Western | Historical Fiction | Young Adult | Thrillers/Suspense | Children’s | Adventure | Middle Grade | Graphic Novels

NONFICTION GENRES
Sports | Food & Lifestyle | Drama/Music | Cookbooks | Travel | Adventure/True Story | Pop Culture | Narrative | Health & Fitness | Pets | Humor

* This agent accepts queries

Brandi Bowles

Howard Morhaim Literary Agency, Inc.
30 Pierrepont St.
Brooklyn, NY 11201

This agent also co-reps for Victoria Sanders and Associates.

bbowles@morhaimliterary.com

NONFICTION Genres/ Graphic novel| Memoir | Biography | Historical | Music |Science | Travel

FICTION Genres/ (No non-fiction GN’s) Southern fiction | Experimental fiction | Cross-cultural

* This agent accepts email queries

Bernadette Baker-Baughman

Bakers Mark Literary
PO Box 8382
Portland, OR 97207

www.bakersmark.com
Info@BakersMark.com

GENRES/ Graphic Novel | Historical stories| Biographies | Fables | Mythology | memoir | urban fantasy| Psychological Thriller

Spencer Ellsworth

Lori Perkins Agency

Genres/ Science fiction | Fantasy | Historical | Graphic Novels | Satire | Memoir | Travel | Please, no vampires

sellsworthlperkinsagency@yahoo.com

* This agent accepts email queries

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