One of my clients, who came to me after reading my agenting book, sent an email saying she had read my blog, that it reads like my book, but if I'm so busy, why am I doing this? She said she had a blog and it ate up a lot of time.
As I explained in my first post, I've written a journal since I was 17. Daily writing is in my nature. My journal entrees include some personal reflections about being the single mother of a teen boy, living in New York, pop culture, ect. But a lot of what I write about is about the business of agenting. I thought I'd share that with readers who might be interested, since the business of getting published has changed so much in the past decade.
My agenting book is just about out of print (you get get it on half.com or Amazon), but it's out of date in some places too. I'll update it some day, but in the meantime, this blog is my way of getting some real tried and true information about the business out there for writers.
Everytime I go to a writer's confernce, I hear so many writers say that no ever told them WHY it's so hard to get published, or how much the business had changed since Stephen King sold his first novel. I'm hoping that if they google "literary agents," eventually they'll come to this blog where someone will tell them getting published today is exponentially harder than it was 20 years ago, but that if you do the work and research, you'll learn what you need to know and most likely succeed.
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8 comments:
I, for one, am grateful you do take the time to pass along such useful information.
I've learnt so much from the various agent blogs I read that I'm always on the lookout for another good one.
It's oddly reassuring to know that it is as hard to get published as it feels--we're not crazy after all!
Write on!
Dear agent:
I am/want to be one of your clients, but I'm shocked, shocked that you maintain a blog and read for pleasure.
How can you continue to pursue these personally-enriching experiences when you could be offering to represent me/working to put my book on the best-seller list? I would think someone in your position would know better than to have a personal life.
Sincerely,
A self-centered lunatic with boundary issues (aka, a writer)
Your blog is a great addition to the New Writer's Education resources on the web!
Your perspective is unique and important to us. As outsiders, we know the industry is changing. Without you and your blogging cohorts, we wouldn't know how that affects us.
Thank you!
Ditto everyone else.
I love agent blogs, and I'm incrediblt grateful for every one of you who takes the time to do one.
Your blog is a wonderful gift, without it I am left to my arrogant false assumptions similar to the rest of my brethren. It really helps to get inside the agent's head.
http://terracottapress.blogspot.com/
I bought and devoured your great "Getting an Agent" book, two years ago. It is much underlined and dog eared and has pride of place on my desk. Thanks for sharing the inside scoop on the business.
I have a copy of that book.
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