Most new published authors' profiles these day's seem to read along these lines.
"After doing a degree in Creative Writing I went to work as a Milk Maid and spent twelve years working on a farm in Devon during which time I fell in love with a farmer and we had two beautiful children. It was then that I wrote my novel which is about a Milk Maid who'd spent twelve years working on a farm in Devon during which time she fell in love with a farmer and they had two beautiful children."
And therefore it's not really surprising that books on the shelves these days are all so insanely boring!
I think at some stage between 1980 and 2015 people lost the ability to use their imagination and book agents lost their ability to take a f*cking risk!
@ Richard "I think at some stage between 1980 and 2015 people lost the ability to use their imagination and book agents lost their ability to take a f*cking risk!"
Study your history: The history of Society, the history of Education, the history of Publishing.
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY back, them wot's in power decided that it was in their best interests to encourage people to become sheep (in modern parlance, sheeple) without imagination. After all, people WITH imagination are likely to ask uncomfortable, embarrassing, and DANGEROUS questions, such as "Just WHY should we go to war with ----------?!", "Couldn't life be more meaningful? Couldn't people work in jobs that they'd be PROUD of?", or even "Why are these bozos in power????????"
So they buggered the education system.
UNFORTUNATELY, there were a few small publishing concerns that published a few GOOD, stimulating books that - stand back there, Sir! - ENCOURAGED people to think... even poor, innocent childen were being corrupted by these enemies of the state. There were some BRILLIANT books being brought out for children. We can't be having that.
So small, idealistic, struggling publishers were offered juicy sell-out deals... and many sold out and turned to something SENSIBLE as a way of earning a crust.
Do some research: Look at small imprints and investigate to whom they belong... then find out who their owners belong to... and cetera. In MOST cases, you'll find that the REAL owners are multinational publishing giants, MOST of which are based in the U S of A... the most conservative, status-quo-obsessed country on the face (OR bum) of this planet.
And NOW ask yourself just why imaginative writing isn't being published. Harry Potter is 50s values / Cold-War mentality regurgitated for the 21st century. And it sells like hotcakes...
I'm well pleased that somebody with the calibre of Lorraine Swoboda is in agreement with me... even if she WAS in agreement with me before I wrote something for her to agree with. [Gnash teeth.] She pretty much hit the head on the nail, but I would go further. You don't even need to advertise yourself as a writer. As I posted on another Q&A (https://www.writersandartists.co.uk/question/view/2155):
I have a question for you: "Are you a premier league footballer, a top-ten popstar, or a member of the royal family?" If your answer is "yes", you only have to mention in an interview on a completely different subject that you're "thinking of writing a rhyming book for children", and you'll have publishers beating a path to your door, begging for your signature and offering a huge advance SIGHT UNSEEN. Think about it: a children's book of rhymes by Prince William! Royalty fans will snap it up. Grannies will buy a copy for each grandchild (including the 17-year-old extasy-taking ravers) and another for themselves. A book of child verse by Robbie Williams! Every fan's gotta have one. It doesn't MATTER if it's shite. People will buy it! THAT's what's important to publishers.
+++++++
And, as agents only get their 15% if they can find a book that pleases publishers, that's what they're looking for, too.
On the WAYB listings, you can find examples of agents who are honest enough to say so, right up front: "We handle writers who are successful in their own field." or "We specialise in autobiographies of sports stars."
How about this one?: "What we are looking for is imaginative writers with one or two Nobel Literature Prizes in their CV. (We will also occasionally consider Nobel prizewinners in other fields if they show a natural flair for storytelling. THESE should write 'attn. Mandy' in their e-mail title.)"
WHY can't we "thumbs up" the original question???
Richard's last 2 paragraphs in his Q surely deserve that.
Richard Blackah, you are an evil man, and I'm setting the good fairies onto your trail. Beware! A prerequisite to becoming a good fairy is a black belt, 12th dan in karate... or 6 months as a booby (I REALLY meant to type bobby there, honest!) on the beat in Brixton.
Leo is also dangerous. A writer with imagination? Uuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrgggghhhhhhhhhhhhh!