Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Collection
I wanted to start off with the clip above, because it's not just interesting, but if I could get my mom (and, perhaps, about 58% of the people I know) to watch this, it would make my writing life so much easier. But they're unlikely to savor eight and a half minutes of an agent being interviewed, explaining some of the most important information about publishing an author (most especially unpublished/first timers) can use. (Courtesy of the BookEnds blog. I'm terrified to hit her link to other interviews, and end up down a rabbit hole!)
Again coming from Jessica Faust (who else is inspired to sell their soul for an agent!?), the words I've wished I could shout loud enough to be heard - on agents who need to define their brand!
I asked Janet Reid a question, and here's what she said. Once again referring to Jessica Faust in a way, we consider agents' perspectives on querying during this festive season ... (No Gossamer included, but click through if you're into kittens winking AND sticking out and curling their tongues! Beyond cute, all the way to precious.)
Looking for a link unrelated to authors, agents and the quest for publication? The History Girls has a wonderfully detailed post about sainted dogs. Read about Guinefort, not quite canonized by the Church, but revered in any case for centuries. The post ends on a sad note, but it's most interesting.
Prefer your furbabies of the feline persuasion? The History Girls didn't forget you: on naming a cat. All my friends, Janet, and online pals who swoon for his name would be surprised what a hell of a time I had naming Gossamer. I'm a little glad Grimalkin never occurred to me, though it's a great little name, and it's sweet to know I share a cat-warmer writing companion in common with Francis Hodgson Burnett.
Fashion more your bag? Here's a refreshing post not sneering about the eighties, at Two Nerdy History Girls.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
I'm all for agents like Jessica Faust going the extra mile to help us research their preferences, and even get to know them a bit. After all, as Janet has often said, the agent-author relationship is a business partnership that depends upon the two parties working well together. Agents make no secret of the fact that they will Google authors they are interested in signing. They'll check out their social media presence and do what they can to make sure they're not about to contract with a serial killer, or someone who will be difficult to work with and potentially give the agent a bad name and a huge pile of mess to clean up.
We writers like to do the same with agents. And yet so few agents (relatively) put themselves out there like that. Many blogging agents restrict their posts to advertizing their clients books and public appearances. Their Twitter accounts chirp like crickets. In other words, many agents don't "do" social media the way they want their would-be clients to. This makes agent research that much more difficult. I'd hate to think agents see us as desperate and willing to sign up with anyone who takes an interest--and I don't think they do. But there are those of us who are likely to think twice about an agent who offers little more than a wish-list, submission guidelines, and an email address.
There's my 2c on that. Thanks for the opportunity to vent, Diane. :)
Post a Comment