A Day on Whidby

Yesterday, I went to Whidby Island, as I do most Wednesdays, to meet with my agent/mentor/boss/friend/teacher Andrea Hurst, president of Andrea Hurst Literary Management.  We talked books and work and conferences, and then we went to the Pier in Coopeville, to Just Write, a writer's group Andrea put together.  Most Wednesdays, these writers can be found in the coffee shop or in the sunshine on the pier writing.  Days like yesterday, we are all treated to a guest speaker.

Tom Masters was our very talented and oh-so-knowledgeable guest speaker.  I've said it before, I'll say it again, I don't know everything.  I don't want to know everything.  I want to learn from the experts.  And Tom Masters is an expert on blogging.  In his talk, Blog to Book, he shared the importance of blogging and using other online tools to create a platform and excitement for your book.  There are so many resources out there to help the scared, lonely, and computer illiterates.  You can find Tom Masters' book, "Blogging Quick and Easy", on Amazon.

After Just Write, we had a farewell dinner with our lovely intern Katie Flanagan, who returning to roam the stately halls of Northwestern.  Follow her journey from lowly water-cooler-changing intern and creative writing student to a big wig in the Big Apple and literary genius, http://katieflanagan.wordpress.com/

In case you hadn't heard it before, and in case you have just nod and follow along, things in publishing move rapidly.  Interns and assistants come and go within months.  Agents leave and reestablish themselves just as quickly.  And (hopefully in my case) new agents can spring up like daisies in spring.

Next week at Just Write, fellow agent Gordon Warnock will be speaking about "How to interest a literary Agent".  Everyone is welcome.  More information can be found at http://www.andreahurst.com/classes/

Happy writing!

Learning More

I love being a newbie in this business.  Everyone is so friendly and so helpful.  A few weeks ago at the PNWA conference, everyone who found out I was going to be an agent one day congratulated me on it and (besides telling me how hard a job it is) said how much fun it was going to be.

I've said it before, I'll say it again.  I'm new to all of this: blogging, tweeting, essentially using the internet for social networking besides facebook and email.  The person that has been most helpful in this is Katie Flanagan, another intern at Andrea Hurst Literary Management.  She encouraged me to start my blog, was my first follower (yay! followers!), and helped me set up Twitter.  And now I've learned that you can generate more publicity by holding contests.  Contests!

Check out her blog and twitter for more information: http://katieflanagan.wordpress.com/

Is there no end to what blogging can do?

While I'm on this soap box about how great learning is, I'd like to repeat part of my blog from yesterday.  Read the blogs!  I am, and as an intern and future agent that will control you life (cue evil laugh), knowledgeable about everything.  I am all powerful and wise...  Ok, I've recently learned I am not.  Queries for example, I've read a good five thousand of them in my four months at the agency (I didn't count but I wouldn't be surprised if it were more and I really don't think I'm exaggerating).  I thought I knew what to look for.  I could certainly spot a good query when I saw one.  Well, ready to learn more?  Check out Query Shark, a great resource for learning how to fine tune your query and get past the first hurdle: http://queryshark.blogspot.com/

What else have I learned lately... O yes, the best thing in life is taking my pencil, a manuscript, and working on my tan in our beautiful summer weather.  So, go learn things, get away from the computer for an hour, and soak up some Vitamin D.  Happy writing everyone.