Should I submit to a publisher or an agent?

I’m going through the submission process.

I have a manuscript I believe is ready to send to potential publishers and like many authors, I’m combing through lists to see who takes direct submissions, seeing who is a good fit.

Ideally, I’d like an Australian publisher. It would make life easier to be marketed in my own country, but I accept that may not happen. Earlier this year I completed Writing NSW’s Pathway to Publishing course, revisiting the art of preparing a query email, a pitch, and a synopsis. I used the particular novel I’m pimping for these exercises.

But maybe I should approach an agent instead?

The author who ran the course suggested I should court an agent as I write often. I’ve been given the resources to find who is interested in queer lit yet I’ve only queried two. This is because of my own insecurity as I’ve only ever been published by approaching publishers directly. I should believe in myself more.

A big name author friend of mine tried to get me on her agent’s books, but that agent declined though she did recommend several publishers. One I was keen on, and even drafted an email to, no longer accepts direct submissions.

In the meantime, I’ve been researching publishers.

I’ve checked their cover art, how many Goodreads reviews their books have, and how many followers they have on Twitter.

And even though I’ve been tempted by publishers who specifically want LGBTQIA+ content, their distribution isn’t necessarily good. One, whose covers I love and who have published one of their favourite novels, ask for a marketing plan. This is a red flag according to an author resource blog I subscribe to. It means the author needs to do most of the marketing.

I currently do a lot of self promotion which is what I’m trying to cut down on for my next release.

I noticed an author I know is a staff member at one queer press.

I reached out and he put me in touch with the Editor-in-Chief who I had a lovely email discussion with. She was honest about their reach and various aspects of their publishing house. So, I did submit. Now I’m just waiting.

But I need more self discipline. I’ve sent submissions to more publishers than I initially intended to. This happened as about four have already come back with rejections, so unwarranted desperation kicked in.

Yet with those new submissions I rewritten the five hundred word synopsis to cover more of the plot. It’s much more succinct now. And I was able to write a two page synopsis, which hardly anyone wants, for one queer publisher who allowed it. I also had to submit a three-hundred word summary, which reads like I butchered the five-hundred word version.

I have lists of others to approach but for now I’ll wait. It’s a game of patience.