There's Much Here To Love, But . . .
Story of my life.
In case you haven't guessed from the title, I'm currently embarking on the great agent search. And wow. It's so . . . fun. (Can you taste the sarcasm?) All snarkiness aside, trying to find an agent is just about the most humbling experience I've ever encountered. Anyone who's been there knows what I'm talking about.
My partners in crime here are agented, and while I try not to let the green-eyed monster rear it's ugly head, I have to admit sometimes it does. It's not that I'm not happy for their success - I am, more than I can say - it's just that sometimes I feel left out in the cold, still trudging through the thick snow, falling farther and farther behind as they move steadily forward.
I have this little analogy J laughs at all the time. I picture myself standing out on the sidewalk with my face pressed to the glass looking in the lobby at all my friends who are agented, standing around with their glasses of champagne, drinking and laughing. And there I am banging on the glass trying to get in, only no one's listening. Other friends are waiting at the base of the elevator for their ride up to stardom. Still others are already inside those sparkling glass cubes, jetting up to the sky, looking down at the rest of us like little ants.
The really funny part about all this is I know getting an agent isn't the end all of this whole process, that it's only the beginning. Almost everyone I know who has signed with an agent says it put more pressure on them than they expected. And while I do have those moments of "I want that now," I recognize that watching my agented friends has been a valuable learning experience for me. I've gotten to see how different agents work and interact, how they manage their clients. I've heard feedback and been able to narrow my list based on my friends' experiences. A year ago I was querying anyone I could find. Now I have a narrow list of agents I know I want to work with, and that's all thanks to sitting on the sidelines watching the action.
Lin talked about the right time in one of her posts. I think she's right. I certainly wouldn't have been ready for an agent last year. Now? I think I am, but I guess I won't know until it happens. In the meantime all I can do is keep trudging along, writing the best book I can, sending out queries, waiting for that one person to click with my voice and take a chance on me. I'll still tease J about pressing my face to the glass, only maybe now I'll add some silly faces and see if that gets me any attention.
Wish me luck.
For anyone else on the great agent search, J has a fabulous agent list on her website. Check it out.
In case you haven't guessed from the title, I'm currently embarking on the great agent search. And wow. It's so . . . fun. (Can you taste the sarcasm?) All snarkiness aside, trying to find an agent is just about the most humbling experience I've ever encountered. Anyone who's been there knows what I'm talking about.
My partners in crime here are agented, and while I try not to let the green-eyed monster rear it's ugly head, I have to admit sometimes it does. It's not that I'm not happy for their success - I am, more than I can say - it's just that sometimes I feel left out in the cold, still trudging through the thick snow, falling farther and farther behind as they move steadily forward.
I have this little analogy J laughs at all the time. I picture myself standing out on the sidewalk with my face pressed to the glass looking in the lobby at all my friends who are agented, standing around with their glasses of champagne, drinking and laughing. And there I am banging on the glass trying to get in, only no one's listening. Other friends are waiting at the base of the elevator for their ride up to stardom. Still others are already inside those sparkling glass cubes, jetting up to the sky, looking down at the rest of us like little ants.
The really funny part about all this is I know getting an agent isn't the end all of this whole process, that it's only the beginning. Almost everyone I know who has signed with an agent says it put more pressure on them than they expected. And while I do have those moments of "I want that now," I recognize that watching my agented friends has been a valuable learning experience for me. I've gotten to see how different agents work and interact, how they manage their clients. I've heard feedback and been able to narrow my list based on my friends' experiences. A year ago I was querying anyone I could find. Now I have a narrow list of agents I know I want to work with, and that's all thanks to sitting on the sidelines watching the action.
Lin talked about the right time in one of her posts. I think she's right. I certainly wouldn't have been ready for an agent last year. Now? I think I am, but I guess I won't know until it happens. In the meantime all I can do is keep trudging along, writing the best book I can, sending out queries, waiting for that one person to click with my voice and take a chance on me. I'll still tease J about pressing my face to the glass, only maybe now I'll add some silly faces and see if that gets me any attention.
Wish me luck.
For anyone else on the great agent search, J has a fabulous agent list on her website. Check it out.
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 9:42 PM
4Comments:
As you know, I am on that great agent hunt as well - and have received those same words more than once! I've been told I don't know how many times that perserverance is as much a reason you get published as talent. I'm looking through that window with you!
Good luck Liz!!!!!! I've done it twice now. Be patient, be choosy and know what you want. This time around I ended up having to chose between three agents (though to be honest by the time the third one offered, I'd pretty much made up my mind).
Paty, I've heard that too. It's the persistent writer that makes it. I'm hoping that's true for both of us. :)
Thanks, Cece!
Three offers? Wow, that's great. So did you sign with your new agent after your sale or before?
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