Days in the Life

I've been wanting to write the "Day in the Life" post for a while, but the days have been too busy, which is why I'm writing this on the weekend.

Either I am having a particularly busy season, or I've managed to expand my workload too much.

Right now, I have 14 books that I am juggling offers on. I think this is a record. I usually sell one or two books a week, so this is almost overwhelming. I actually had one editor email me that she wanted to make me an offer on Wednesday, and I told her I wouldn't be able to talk to her until Friday.

Part of the reason why I'm so busy is that I have had to schedule author/editor meetings, which means I am out of the office for non-lunch hours. I had three such meetings late this week. and although blackberrys and cell phone have made it so that we are supposed to be on call every minute of every day, they don't work on the New York City subway system, which is how I get downtown.

When I say I'm juggling 14 book offers, that means that almost every one of them needs to be severely negotiated, or editorially restructured before we go to contract, so there is a lot of back and forth on every book. I have been waiting since early January for an increase in the advance on two of the books (the company was purchased and I can get more money from the new company if I let the editor make my case, so we wait).

What this means for me is that I feel like I'm doing the same thing every week and hardly getting ahead.

I try to only have 20 books on submission at a time. As soon as one sells, I'll move another forward. Right now, I think I have 30, because I was expecting to close on these 14 books quicker. This means that I have about 5 books in the line and no time to get them out.

And there just seems like there is no time to read, although I did read and line edit two client's proposals while going back and forth. And I've probably sifted through another 100 query letters this week.

What I wanted to do with the Day in the Life post is actually give you a real day of my work. I am hoping to do that next week, but it's a short week because I am heading out to a convention at the end of the week.

True Confessions of an Agent

I didn't read a thing this weekend.

Not even the New York Times.

And I feel really guilty.

My son is on a national robotics competition and I have been up at 7 to drive him downtown. I am re-doing my home (painting, new rugs, new floors, new furniture) and constantly moving new furniture, putting up paintings, and cleaning out stuff I no longer want. And then we went out for St. Pat's (a family tradition of corned beef and cabbage).

Up again on Sunday morning. My son had asked his grandmother and a neighbor we call "his extra grandmother" to come see him at the competition, so I decided I better feed them if they are out all day at this robot stuff, so I cooked a turkey and brownies before I left at noon and had dinner for five when we got back. Cleaned up. Passed out.

My son's team won top honors and they are going to the nationals in Atlanta, as is the high school's second robot team, a rookie team made up of all girls!!!!

I read a manuscript in the monring before I started work at 10 (instead of working out). I've done almost all the email unsolicteds that came in today (none have I requested). It's time to break for lunch, but I feel that I'm already behind.