At the Agency

It's been a while since I updated you guys in the world of Agentdom.  The new year has brought a few changes to the agency, and many good things.  As you probably noticed, I'm now listed as a full agent (I have a full inbox to prove it) here.  More on that later, I'll dedicate another post to the whirlwind that is my career (eek!). 

One (semi) new service the agency is offering is "The First Fifty", in which you get your first fifty pages critiqued by an expert editor in your genre (info here).  This is a fabulous opportunity for any writer to get an unbiased opinion by an expert, and you can be rest assured the editor is qualified and highly experienced (just in case you thought of going to Craigslist for an editing fix--beware). 

While it's not my book, the entire agency is excited about it.  SPCA is backing a book written by Terri Crisp, dog rescuer extraordinaire, about the rescue of dogs and cats befriended by our troops in the middle east.  (Operations Baghdad Pups here) The book is due in February and we are all pitching in to get it spotless (and each chapter has me closer to tears). 

Just before Christmas, Whidbey Island local Marie de Haan, and Just Write regular, had a book release party to celebrate her self published memoir "Cancer is a Funny Thing: A Humorous Look at the Bright Side of Cancer... And There Is One" (info here) (at Amazon) (look for my review in Wednesday Reads in the next month).

On January 15th, Andrea is holding an all day writing retreat on beautiful Whidbey Island (info here), at which she'll run writers through a few exercises, answer some questions, but mostly it's a quiet, beautiful retreat at which to write. 

Just Write on the Pier is still every Wednesday at the pier in Coopeville.  If you're in the area, stop by from 2-4 to meet with other writers, Andrea, write, and take in the beauty off the pier (and have some very delicious coffee at the cafe). 

Happy Writing!

A note about querying agencies

I really didn't think this needed to be said, but as I talk to more and more aspiring writers, I realize that this is not self explanatory.  Firstly, I'll give you the advice anyone should be giving you, if you want to be published, research.  You've already done hours and hours of research and traveled to Rome and South America and the Antarctic and spent five months in silence with a Buddhist Monk for you 200,000 word fantasy novel?  Guess what?  The research isn't done.

For one, if you were informed, you would know that no one is going to look at your 200,000 word novel no matter what genre it is.  Nothing over 100,000 words please (yes there are some exceptions for world building, but please don't go too far over that, 20,000 words max).

Alright, here's a recent anecdote which has led me to this blog post.  A few months ago I had been working with another agent in the agency, and had come across a vampire-fantasy-detective novel.  The title was good, the concept was good--good enough to stick with me--but the writing wasn't up to snuff.  So it was ultimately rejected.  Last week, I'm going through my boss's queries (same agency mind you) and I see a familiar title.  Same title, same man, same story, same writing.  Different Dear so-and-so at the top.

Not allowed!  If you query an agent at an agency and are rejected, do not query another agent at the same agency.  You will be caught.  You will be made the fool.  The man was rejected again.  Now his name is imprinted on my special little list.  Should I ever receive a query from him in the future, I'll be raising my brows, scoffing in my head, and clicking the shiny red reject button.

Agents live by the same rules when we submit your manuscripts to editors.  One editor per publishing house.  It would reflect badly on us if we blindly send to everyone in the department, and it won't get your manuscript sold.

Below are some tips for aspiring authors.  Even if you think you know what you are doing, read them, consider them, and do them.  You are not the exception to the rule.  No matter how amazing your manuscript is, you must play by the rules.

1. Read blogs by authors who have successfully been published--blogs are the most up to date information you will get.

2. Attend conferences and talks given by recently published authors--again I stress the recent.  Publishing is changing rapidly, and someone might give you out of date information.

3. Read about publishing--I recommend The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting Published.  I'm serious.  Sounds silly?  It's not.  When I started my internship with an experienced agent, she told me to read it.  There was so much more to publishing than I had realized!  Look around on Amazon and check out other blogs to see which publishing and writing books are favored.

4. Read about publishing--wait, I already said that?  I'm not blond, I'm just reemphasizing a point, so it must be important, right?

5. Join writer's groups, online chats, Publishers Marketplace, critique groups--listen and take notes, introduce yourself (not only does this give you information, it also gets your face out there for people to see).

What's This?!

One year ago, one month ago, one week ago... let's just say it: yesterday I hadn't imagined I'd give into the craze.  Me blogging?  But if there is one thing I have learned in my four months as an intern, reader, and assistant agent at a literary agency, and that one busy weekend at the PNWA conference, it's that blogging matters.  If you don't have web presence, and you aren't already best friends with Oprah, you aren't anything.

Ok, not true.  You are potential.  We tell aspiring authors to get blogs all the time--but as I began exploring the world of blogging this morning, I decided that anyone's voice needs to be out there in the community they want to participate in.  Artist, engineer, school teacher, president, opera singer.  If you have expertise, share it.  If you want expertise, look for it.  If, like me, you are pure potential, on the cusp of breaking out of the cocoon into the beautiful butterfly everyone will aspire to be (I hope I have purple wings), well, share that too.

I'm not what you would call technically savvy.  I'm resistant to technology.  My cell phones have all tried committing suicide to get away from me (one succeeded by leaping from my pocket as an industrial toilet flushed--uh, bu-bye).  With a real fear that technology will take over my life and squeeze the living essence, personality, and uniqueness out of me, I try to stay away from it.  But I can no longer live in fear--besides, that would make me a hypocrite.  This blog is, in part, for all those aspiring authors out there that I have told to get a blog.  I didn't have one myself, and yet I was telling them to get past their insecurities and establish themselves in their communities.

So here I am, about to share the trials and tribulations, joys and achievements of my career (the tiny caterpillar that it is).  I've got my scissors, my wings are furled, I'm ready to take that plunge off the branch into the abyss beneath me.