Over the years I have had several agents:
HM was my very first agent for a single YA romance that only sold to Germany. I was so new and scared of everything in the business that when she took me on I was so grateful that I didn’t even research her or attempt to get with any other agents or anything. (Of course this was pre-Internet times too.) It was enough to get me started taking my writing seriously though and that was a good thing.
LC was my agent for an adult ghostwriting project. LC came with the project. I was hired by someone for a ghostwriting project and she and LC had a huge plan for how to make the client a new life via writing. She scared the heck out of me. She is now a big name agent for some big name clients and I am sure she doesn’t remember my name. I am fine with that.
R&J are the agents who sold Can I Pray With My Eyes Open for me. They were full of energy at the start of their business, wooed me over the fairly new Internet and bulletin boards and then went out of business after a few years. It was a learning experience for me and that is always a good thing.
KH sold Oliver’s Must-do List for me and was a tireless promoter of my work. Although she is no longer agenting I am proud to call her friend.
JR is my current extraordinary agent. When she took me on I felt like I had “made it” to an extent because I finally had a fabulous agent at a very big name agency. She had clout and negotiating skills that amazed me. She sold Hugging the Rock for me. Although I’ve given her a historical picture book a year or so ago, since then I’ve sent her nothing (because I had nothing in any shape to send her.) Granted, there was the wind-down time after HTR came out and then the great move and until this weekend, I thought that was okay.
All these years I thought a big part of the great writing quest was to get an agent, to get a great agent that you loved and felt understood you and would go to bat for you and get you wonderful contracts. And when you finally got said fabulous agent, life was good. I figured they would sometimes pester you for your new book but mostly wait patiently (taking care of other clients, of course) until I would send them something else to sell.
Sometimes I am so dense.
After a couple of conversations with other writers this week it dawned on if writers can dump agents then agents can dump writers. And one of the top reasons agents dump writers is that they aren’t giving them anything to sell. They aren’t working hard enough or producing enough to be worthwhile.
I already felt overwhelmed with life and the day job and not enough time to write but now I feel like if I don’t get my agent something soon, I could find myself walking the plank.
That scares me. A lot.
Hopefully enough to push the writing into high gear.
I’d think you have some time … if she sold one project for you, and is working on selling another … the fact that it’s been a year or so wouldn’t be enough for her to dump you. Especially since HtR did sell and so reasonably well!
I think agents mostly dump clients when they don’t feel like they’ve been able to sell their work, or when the working relationship is broken for other reasons.
Well I don’t think she is working on selling the PB. I sent it to her but I think it is basically stalled.
I hope that the track record for HTR buys me some time.
I wouldn’t have really started to worry about it except that one friend was speaking at the same conference as her agent and he basically said (in response to a question) that he dumps people who aren’t producing.
:::::::::hug:::::::::::::::
Scary, isn’t it?
I’ve yet to dump any of my clients for whom I edit, but I do yell at them from time to time.
Writing momentum isn’t easy to maintain when Life is in the way, but don’t fall into the trap of beating yourself up because of lessened output. That just feeds the self-defeat monster.
I know you’ve got good stuff in you. Relax if possible, and the writing should flow soon.
[I fully realize the irony of *me* telling *anyone* to relax.]
Darn, I had this great note all ready to post about the pot calling the kettle black LOL!!!
Thanks for the reminder. I’d prefer the self-defeat monster to go hungry for a very long time.
I already felt overwhelmed with life and the day job and not enough time to write but now I feel like if I don’t get my agent something soon, I could find myself walking the plank.
Yeah, I sit here waiting for the day I get the “dumping” email.
Yes but you have a wonderful excuse – planning a wedding!!! Belated congrats, BTW. I think I was in read only mode when I read your exciting and romantic news.
Thanks so much! 🙂
From what I read & hear, Hugging the Rock made/is making a pretty big splash. I could be wrong, but my guess is this buys you some of that “time” you’re worried about.
I agree with whoever asked if you’d talked to your agent–she/he might have some ideas/thoughts?
You can do this. Even with all the worries, it’s still about the writing.
Thanks, Becky. HTR did okay. It’s been out a year and the talk has died down some but like you, I hope it buys me some time. It’s just weird that I never thought about that before. I guess I’ve always been the one to say goodbye first in any relationship.
“You can do this. Even with all the worries, it’s still about the writing.”
Thank you for saying this. You’re right of course but it’s one of those things that we need to be reminded of a lot. Or at least I do.
I don’t think agents dump clients for not sending them anything. I think agents dump clients who are difficult to work with and clients who send stuff the agent doesn’t think is marketable or finds out isn’t marketable.
If you don’t send an agent something every year, she doesn’t make money off of you but she also doesn’t lose time or money. So it seems it would be easier to just keep your name on the client roster than to dump you.
I wouldn’t worry.
Thanks, Debra. It’s so easy to get freaked out about every little thing in this business…well, for me it is more like “in this life”
If I could get paid for worrying I could quit the day job. 🙂
I’m getting the same impression. If I email him, he still responds to me as if I’m sending him stuff all the time.
Ah sheesh, Sue {{{{{{{{{{}}}}}}}}!!!!
As if there’s not ENOUGH pressure. You can second guess yourself right out your creativity, so my advice: STOP IT!
I’ve always been busy with projects. Not necessarily productive. I figured out a few things recently, part of it was my family and part of it was me. I know if I actually “hit it” then producing WILL be the name of the game. I’m terribly afraid of disappointing, on top of that the family wasn’t behind me. I tend to extrapolate and having two friends that have actually won the Big Kahuna of prizes (and then you have to worry about your arrogance because you’ve taken it to THAT end), I worried myself right into a state of creative catatonia– tons of ideas, and nothing to show for it. For me, it has to begin, be about and end with the work itself. I can’t control what others think or feel about what I do, not even those that are closest and mean the most to me. Maybe, especially them.
I read something by Kate DiCamillo a few months ago and it really helped break down the artistic log jam in my brain. She was talking about writing Winn-Dixie, and how miserable she was. She created the book as a comfort to herself. And in so doing breathed a unique life into it. It comforted her, so how could it HELP but comfort and enrapture others? I’d read something similar, though it wasn’t about comfort, it was about catharsis, for Alice Sebold and The Lovely Bones. You’ve already proven you have the technical ability and heart to be published. It’s just a matter of staying CONNECTED to that thread of yourself!
Re: Ah sheesh, Sue {{{{{{{{{{}}}}}}}}!!!!
OH boy oh boy oh boy. We must be cyber near-twins because I have been in all those places. Busy but not necessarily productive. And family… I am rereading for about the 10th time this wonderful book by Pat Schneider. When I get home I need to post some pieces of it because I won’t get the quote correct from memory. What I try to hold though is the realization that if I finish, I can be judged. And when I am judged, things will change…for better or worse doesn’t matter but they will change. And I am always afraid of not measuring up to the change (and the judgment.)
I worried myself right into a state of creative catatonia– tons of ideas, and nothing to show for it. For me, it has to begin, be about and end with the work itself. I can’t control what others think or feel about what I do, not even those that are closest and mean the most to me. Maybe, especially them.
Logically I know you and everyone who says “it is always about the writing” are right but emotionally sometimes it is really hard to hit that place. Especially when you have made some sales but not the BIG sales….some award lists but not the BIG ones. Ya know? Have you discovered any tips that make it easy for you to turn off those other voices?
Love the bit about Kate DiCamillo. Thank you for sharing it. Yes….I need to remember that I selfishly write first for myself. Hugging the Rock healed a large part of one hole in my life. I need to use the next book to heal some more.
“It’s just a matter of staying CONNECTED to that thread of yourself!”
Thank you SO much!
Re: Ah sheesh, Sue {{{{{{{{{{}}}}}}}}!!!!
I haven’t figured much out. There’s an added layer for me. I KNOW I could get lost in my self-created world (really the reason I started creating those many eons ago was all about comforting mysefl). But a few things differ. In order to be “marketable” or even interesting, comfort isn’t necessarily a good place to be (though with Kid’s lit, I love there has to be HOPE, which is an honest form of comfort). Also, I no longer live in that painful world and have direct responsibilities. I’m afraid it would be too easy to abdicate, and again with the family. If they aren’t there behind you, you should see what’s left behind you (the mess I came back to when returning from Chautauqua made me weep).
What has kept me going, even when things are most tenuous, is falling in love with my characters. One piece has been easier, because she was an actual person I loved (remarkable woman!). It’s been harder with some of the others, because they’re self-created, which means imbueing them with some of my sensibilities, faults and traits. I’m always amazed at how flexible some of the biggies are– Listening to Mo Willem or Eric Rohmann talk they are the sweetest, intelligent, soft-spoken men. But they are heartless when it comes to cutting anything that doesn’t work for the story. I’ve been trying to work at that kind of flexibility. Though I suspect I won’t ever achieve their crystal view, we all work differently, it’s helped to run that balance between letting my characters breathe and realizing their exhalation is still on the page.
I would be very interested in the book you’re talking about. I found some great stuff, believe it or not in Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point. I realized some stuff about my personal life (how I operate, I recognized myself, some of my elder daughter’s dilemma, and just how somethings in general work. There was a great appeal in the increment, as well as wisdom, building takes time, so even if you find success or not, it takes time, it’s rarely an abrupt thing). One of the next books I hope to read, that I’m fairly certain I’ll get a lot from will be Eat, Pray, Love. I already had some of her sensibilities, but you know I can tell she’s somewhere further on the path that I’d like to be.
As far as it goes, staying connected means that NIKE thing: Just do it. With the caveat of investing yourself in what you do (and that’s the real bravery of it, now isn’t it, the REAL reason everyone can’t do this), so you can find the joy in what you do, and love it enough to change what you do. I really think of it as loving what you do like one of your friends. Loving yourself, which I don’t do well. But I’m learning. Maybe that’s the crux of it for me. I used to use my art as an outward expression, a way of garnering attention. Now it’s about touching the things I like inside of me. Does that make sense?
I wouldnt’ worry so much about that. It’s giving them things to sell that don’t – that’s much worse. I mean, how much work can you be if you’re not giving them stuff. You’re in limbo.
And my agent stuck with me through two books that didn’t sell and never said a peep, so I know I’m lucky. Those were my first two books with her.
Thanks. I’ve never been comfy in limbo land but it is much nicer than ex-client land. 🙂
You’re right – I’m easy. No maintenance needed.
I truly don’t think I would worry about it. I’m super good friends with my agent and it seems to me that if her clients aren’t producing they are not top of mind with her. She has a lot more day-to-day stuff to think about.
of course you’re right. I’m not big enough (yet?) to be a problem. 🙂 Maybe someday.
Re: dialogue
Thanks, Joelle. Trying to breathe now. And maybe this is the kick I’ve been needing. It’s good to know about Ally’s process.
I haven’t spoken to her about it recently. I probably should. She is interested in a partial and I am just settling in to try and give her that (even though selling on a partial is a very scary thing indeed).
I really appreciate the support.
Susan, you have so much amazing writing inside you! I do not think JR is going to dump you because you’ve been on kind of a hiatus. But I do think it would be great for you to email or call her with your concerns and see what kind of expectations she has for you. In fact, maybe that’ll be a jumpstart for your project!
(I worry at the *other* end of the spectrum. Am I sending too much to my agent? Am I like a girl who says I love you at the end of the first date? Overwhelming her with just too much, too soon? Is it too much quantity, not enough quality? Communication is key.)
Great post…got me thinking.
Maybe you could have a conversation with your agent so she knows where you’re coming from and you know where she stands, so there’s not so much pressure to produce right now?
Good Luck!