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STATUS: And no one ever talks about the late nights we agent keeps.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? CORNFLAKE GIRL by Tori Amos
I have to say I was highly amused to read a hypothesis from a writer that agents make their money from attending conferences.
If that were true, it would certainly be a poor way to make a living.
For the record, the good majority of conferences pay for travel, hotel lodging, and food. Occasionally, a conference will pay a small honorarium. I’ve personally seen remuneration of $150.00 to $250.00. Let’s say an agent attends 8 conferences at that level. That would be a whopping $2000.00. To put that into perspective, that would just about cover my business class internet for the year and maybe one-quarter of my yearly phone bill. As the honorarium stands now, it might cover our yearly office coffee budget for Starbucks and Common Grounds. Big grin here.
Now I have heard rumors of conferences paying anywhere from $500 to $1000 as an honorarium but I’ve never had the good fortune to participate in any of those conferences (although can someone tell me where I could sign up?).
No, agents don’t attend conferences to earn money. We attend conferences in the hopes of meeting an author and finding a project that will, in turn, earn us money.
It’s actually pretty simple. Agents make money by taking a percentage of what authors earn when an agent sells a project on that author’s behalf.
And there are a variety of revenue streams:
1. The initial sell to the US publisher
2. UK sale
3. Foreign translation sales to foreign publishers
4. Audio
5. Film
6. Other subsidiary rights such as first serial, book club, etc.
And trust me, I’m in my seventh year of agenting and this is certainly not the path to get rich quick. However, it’s a more than comfortable living—for which I feel extraordinarily blessed.
STATUS: Heading out for the night but plan to do some much needed client reading in the next couple of nights. Hubby is out of town. Amazing how much more work gets done when that happens.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? SUNDAY MORNING by Maroon 5
Early this year, I realized I was spending in ordinate amount of time talking with editors and in-house marketing and publicity people about my clients’ upcoming releases.
In fact, I was spending so much time doing that, I started wondering when I would have the time to read new material and take on new clients. After all, I’m an agent, not a marketing coordinator.
And that’s why this past March, I hired Lindsay Mergens to be out Marketing Director here at NLA.
Here’s a link to her bio so you can see what a great background she has for this job. However, being a Marketing Director for an agency is not the same as this corresponding title in a Publishing house. What exactly would she be doing? Would she be duplicating Publisher effort by actually doing marketing and publicity? Nope, that’s not what Lindsay does.
So here’s what she does—think of it more like coordinating.
1. Tracking all upcoming releases and doing a timeline of what is being done in-house and when we need to be following up with the author’s assigned publicist about the marketing plan.
2. She works on the marketing plan with all our authors so they have something to say other than “I don’t know what I’m doing with this.” All authors know more than they think they do. She adds these things to the Publisher’s plan and helps to tweak what will be done.
3. Sometimes she gets money out of the Publishers for an author visit that they might not have done otherwise if we hadn’t simply requested it.
4. She is the liaison for the in-house publicist and marketing person assigned to the author.
5. If the author would like to hire an external PR company as well, Lindsay hooks the author up with the right people. She also reviews any PR proposals that an external company might present.
6. She attends meetings with me in New York when we are meeting with the Publishing marketing and publicity people. As she used to be one, she knows exactly what to ask.
7. When the marketing plan is formed and finalized, Lindsay is the point person to see that all things get implemented and that all the info is disseminated to me, to the author, rights co-agents, etc.
8. She helps authors fill out the client Author Questionnaire (which can be a huge deal as that is often the in-house template that will be worked from).
9. When folks contact us about having one of our authors come and speak, Lindsay handles that and coordinates with the publisher,
10. Book Trailers. Marketing Materials and so forth, Lindsay reviews it all, requests changes if necessary or generally helps guide this whole process.
11. Book tours abroad. Lindsay handles it and coordinates with US publisher.
This list could go on and on. In fact, I’m probably leaving out tons of stuff but this should give you an idea of why I would hire someone to do this for the Agency. As the main agent, I’m cc’d on all communications but honestly, I’m not sure how I did without her for so long. It’s a job in and of itself.
STATUS: I think I need another weekend to recover from my weekend. Grin.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? ROUTE 66 by Natalie Cole
Really? Could I blog about anything else today? Enjoy!
So you can track us, I’m wearing a white visor and Simone has on a blue bandanna.
Watch the chick in front of Simone. She ends up falling into the boat. Better than the alternative I have to say.
Lesson of the day: tuck you feet securely while in the raft.
Also, we are going through two sets of the rapids. In the second set, look at the rock to the right of the picture.
My personal favorite is the shot where pretty much everyone in the boat disappears in the spray.
By: Kristin Nelson,
on 7/24/2009
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STATUS: Yesterday, one blog commenter said they didn’t want to hear any more doom and gloom so in good news, I’ve done three deals in the past 2 weeks for already established clients. All six figure deals. That’s positive.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? YOU’RE THE ONE THAT I WANT from Grease soundtrack
Yesterday, my author Simone Elkeles flew into town to do some research for her next YA title that is going to be set in Boulder, Colorado (sequel to her wildly successful title Perfect Chemistry (almost 100,000 copies in print!).
She has never been to Boulder, Colorado and since she’s a big believer in experiencing what she plans to use in her books, here she is.
Well, little did I know that she also wanted to have her main character, Carlos, do white-water rafting in this new novel.
Yep, you can see where this is going. Who else is going to take her to go and do white-water rafting but her Colorado agent?
Hey, I never want to hear that I don’t go the distance for my authors.
So tomorrow morning bright and early (heading out at 5 a.m.) we are tackling the class III and IV rapids of the Arkansas river through Brown’s Canyon.
Don’t worry, it’s mandatory to wear life vests (not to mention Simone’s editor emailed and said her author had better be wearing one and I don't want to upset her editor).
Hope to see y’all back here on Monday…
STATUS: I totally forgot to blog last night.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? LONG HOT SUMMER by Style Council
It sometimes happens that a writer lands an agent, goes on submit, but then the agent gives up after just a short time or a few submissions.
Personally, I can’t figure out what the agent was thinking. Why bother taking on someone if you don’t think you can commit for the long haul? Besides, every agent I know has a story of getting 30+ rejections and finally selling the book. It only takes one! Such a cliché but often true. I’ve even heard of agents taking up to 2 years and 5 years to sell a project.
But that’s an aside. Let’s say this has happened to you (as awful as that would be). Here’s the info you need to be an animal about getting from that former agent. Bug that person with emails and phone calls (politely of course—I always advocate being professional and polite) but do annoy them until you get the exact names of the editors who saw the work and the imprints/houses. And if you can get the responses, that’s even better!
Why?
Because if a new agent is going to take you on, it’s imperative to have that info. (And just about every agent I know has taken on at least one client who has been previously submitted so it happens.)
Here are a couple of reasons why we need the info:
1. If I have the submit list in hand while contemplating offering representation, I can clearly see if I think the former agent sent the work to the right editors or not. If they haven’t, heck, I’ve got a clear field and can probably sell the work by getting the project into the right hands.
2. Having the info allows me to weigh my decision on whether I think there are enough viable other places to take it to.
3. The editor list lets me see if an editor has left publishing or has moved to another house and suddenly, I’ve got a clear shot at that imprint again. It’s musical chairs in publishing.
4. The editor list allows me to pinpoint an editor who has already seen it (maybe a year or more ago) and I can sway him or her to look at it again if we’ve done a big enough revision on it that I can pitch it like new.
5. Some editors are notoriously bad at never responding and if that’s the case and I see that on the list (and the responses you have—or lack thereof), I can target a different editor at that imprint and it’s like submitting fresh.
6. There’s nothing worse than not knowing that a project you took on was previously shopped and you, the agent, now have egg on your face when an editor writes and tells you that they’ve seen it before and it was NO then and it’s still NO now. Ouch. That pisses me off and so if you have the editor list, then you can give it to me before this can happen.
Not to mention, it’s your right to know who has seen your manuscript, who turned it down, and what they said about it so even if you are parting ways, get that info. Most agents (I hope) are good people and happy to give you that info as a matter of course but if the agent isn’t doing it, be wonderfully annoying and politely make it clear that you will continue your inquiry until they do. They may just send it your way to make you go away!
STATUS: I wrapped up a contract negotiation—which always feels like a nice accomplishment. A big check mark on the to-do list.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? BE OUR GUEST from Beauty and the Beast
Today just saddened me I have to admit. When ALA Midwinter was here in Denver, I threw a shindig with fellow Denver agent Kate Schafer Testerman for the visiting editors and librarians at Cru Wine Bar in Larimer Square. We wanted to welcome everyone to our cow town.
Well, one of the guests was the very lovely Brenda Bowen of Bowen Press (HarperCollins) but Bowen Press is no longer as of today.
Here’s the link to the story. She formed her imprint literally only a year ago. In fact, she was launching her debut list at ALA Midwinter. I can’t imagine how any of the authors on that list feel—to be suddenly without imprint and editor. [Now do you understand how important an agent might be? This might be your only static person in this whirling maelstrom!]
Every day when I get my Publishers Marketplace email or PW Daily, I cringe every time I open the email. What bad news awaits me this week? What ax has fallen? Who else is now going to be listed under PW’s Comings & Goings with newly hatched gmail addresses?
In the same article, PW stated that HarperCollins was keeping its newly minted Balzer & Bray imprint. Thank goodness as I have an author on that launch list whose debut comes out this fall. Talk about a panic moment as I waited for the full article to pop up on screen.
And yet, despite the news, I plan to move forward agenting as I always have. Being deliberate and picky about what we take on but we are still looking for a great project.
And speaking of looking, Sara has her new page up at PM. Now isn’t that good news? Not only did I promote my assistant, we hired a new assistant to help us both. We are welcoming back our intern Julie who is now in her first year of college and a paid employee.
Hey, I’ve done my part for the economy!
STATUS: I’ve been working contracts this week so now I’m weeding through the 178 emails that need attention.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? SMOOTH OPERATOR by Sade
Note from Kristin: My wonderful assistant for three years, Sara Megibow, is now an acquiring agent! She is actively looking for great projects and here she is in her own words.
Three years ago my baby boy turned one and I told my husband, "Yes, I will go back to work but only if the job is PERFECT!" About two weeks later, I interviewed with Kristin at her original office in Denver. When I came home from that interview I was breathless and I told Mark, "My gosh, that is the coolest industry in the entire world - I love what she does and I want to be a part of it!" Thus, history was made.
I am happy to announce that Kristin has recently honored me with a generous promotion. My new title is Associate Literary Agent and YUP - that means I am now able to take on projects of my own!!! Thank you Kristin!
So for all you writers out there I am here to say - there is one more hungry agent in the hunt!! I have the backing of the Nelson Literary Agency - complete with fabulous training and support, a network of powerhouse co-agents and a history of publishing successful books (95 sold as of most recent count!) And I have three years of experience reading query letters, sample pages and full manuscripts with an eye toward picking that which will sell (and sell big). I helped Kristin choose PRIVATE ARRANGEMENTS by Sherry Thomas (named one of Publishers Weekly's top books of 2008) and HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET by Jamie Ford (released this month to HUGE accolades).
Going forward, here are some of my personal preferences and favorites:
Science Fiction and Fantasy = This is probably my all time favorite genre. For me, it is important to create a vivid, intense world that is incorporated seamlessly into an engaging story with complex characters. No big deal, right? Here are some recent reads which I feel capture these qualities: OLD MAN'S WAR by John Scalzi, THE LIES OF LOCKE LAMORA by Scott Lynch and HIS MAJESTY'S DRAGON by Naomi Novik. I also love everything written by Robin McKinley and Carol Berg.
Romance = I know I've said it before, but I love super sexy, intelligent romances. My favorite authors are Sherry Thomas (I know, I know, I'm biased) and Pamela Clare (everything she's written). I also adored MOON CALLED by Patricia Briggs and Carolyn Jewel's recent release SCANDAL. I'm a romantic, so about any subgenre works for me (except inspirational) as long as the writing is superior and the characters are solid.
Young Adult and Middle Grade = I have to admit, vampires and werewolves are not top on my list right now. I know it can still be done, but I am secretly on the look-out for books set in the real world (with a multicultural spin or a historical spin would be great). I loved UNDONE by Brooke Taylor and AN ABUNDANCE OF KATHERINES by John Green.
Finally, that all-encompassing genre of commercial fiction. For me, just about anything goes as long as it's well written. I couldn't put down MISTRESS OF THE ART OF DEATH by Arianne Franklin. Bring on the historicals and the multiculturals in this area too.
Happy writing to you all - I can't wait to read more proposals! And thank you again to Kristin for this wonderful opportunity!
STATUS: One of my clients sent us holiday cupcakes today. Yummy in my tummy.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? WHITE CHRISTMAS by Perry Como
Pretty soon we’ll be compiling our year-end statistics. For good or for bad! And tonight I was reading a review for a novel that I had wanted to represent but alas, the author went with a different agent. I’m sensing a theme in my blog entries here…
So I’m reading the review and I have to say, it’s brilliant. It outlined pretty much all the reasons why I had loved that manuscript. Ack. What a bummer to not be representing that author. But hey, at least I had been in the game. I’m not always going to win when up against several other agents. That’s just the way of the agenting biz. I’m glad to see the world agrees with me regarding the novel but of course I’m reading the review with regret.
Can’t be helped but still...
One of my clients is with the editor who was the underbidder for Harry Potter. That puts it into perspective I think!
And just a couple of weeks ago, I met with an editor who was the underbidder for The Story of Edgar Sawtelle.
Okay, I’m feeling slightly better because hey, it happens. Only slightly though.
STATUS: I’m off to New York next week so it’s been a little hectic getting prepared for all my meetings.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? TALKING ‘BOUT A REVOLUTION by Tracy Chapman
On Tuesday, Julie handled all of our unsolicited mail. Quite an experience and it inspired her to write this blog entry.
At the Nelson Literary Agency we only accept email. That doesn’t mean you can use email if you feel like it or if you would prefer, it means we only accept email. If you send snail mail you will receive a response, a standard response telling you try again via email.
When snail mail is sent to the Nelson Agency, Kristin will never see it. Only Julie the Intern will before it meets its fate in the recycling bin. I might read some of the letters if I feel so inclined, or if something catches my eye, but don’t bet on it. It wastes paper and does not get you one step closer to reaching your literary dreams. All it does is give me paper cuts. At least I can say I am thoroughly entertained by some of the things we find in the burgeoning stack of mail.
Checks
I’m not entirely sure what the checks are for seeing as we do not charge anything to see queries. What happens to these checks? If the sender has also included a self-addressed envelope it gets sent back. Otherwise, it gets to enjoy the comfort of the paper shredder.
Full manuscripts
I can’t even conceive why people send full manuscripts to us. For one, we don’t accept snail mail, as I have hopefully gotten across. Secondly, query letters, sample pages, or something are customary to send to an agent before you throw a full manuscript on their desk.
Popcorn, DVDs, self-published books, etc.
I’m not sure what the popcorn was for. Of course, I don’t know why we get any of this. If you’re lucky, we might ask for postage money to send books back.
Queries for other agents
We received a letter addressed to Ethan Ellenberg. As far as I know, Ethan Ellenberg isn’t hiding under one of our desk chairs. Make sure to get the address correct for the agent you want to send to.
Handwritten queries
Handwritten queries are unprofessional, enough said.
STATUS: TGIF! I really enjoy writing that every Friday. I finished one contract and got ready to dive into another but alas, too many interruptions. Will have to tackle on Monday.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? GAUCHO by Steely Dan
This week I read in Publishers Weekly that Sports Publishing, LLC has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Well, lately, just about every day I read a tidbit in Media Bistro or Shelf Awareness about a newspaper, magazine, bookstore, or what have you calling it quits.
In fact, I received an email today from a wonderful editor at Rager Media (a small independent literary house out of Ohio). He was writing to tell me that they were closing the doors.
That’s very sad news as they were doing some powerful books over there.
But all this got me thinking about bankruptcy clauses. When I heard about Sports Publishing, I immediately got out the contract file for one of my early books—CHAIR SHOTS by Bobby Heenan and Steve Anderson. This was way back in the day when I was foolish enough to take on nonfiction projects before I realized that my expertise was much more focused on fiction and the occasional memoir.
There it was on page 6—a nice bankruptcy clause highlighting how rights will revert. Today I wrote a formal letter requesting the reversion and final accounting so I have it in writing. I'm glad it's there in black and white on the contract page--which is why we have this clause in all our contracts.
But my contracts manager recently told me that she’s seeing some push-back from publishing houses wanting to eliminate the clause. (I’d have to dig a little to find out what the rationale is behind that.) Now I’m also not a corporate bankruptcy attorney so I really can’t detail the vagaries of how corporate bankruptcy unfolds. All I know is that I'd rather have the clause in that contract so rights revert—even if the courts don’t allow that to happen automatically. Good thing I have an intellectual property attorney and his firm on retainer. Looks like I'm about to learn how it works.
STATUS: Totally celebrating. Instead of 300, I only have 60 emails in my inbox. It’s the small things in life.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? ZOOT SUIT RIOT by Cherry Poppin’ Daddies
This month I’m putting several projects out on submission and I just read a discussion about this on the Backspace chat forum so it seemed like a good topic to bring up.
If you are an agented author with a project on submission, do you request to see your rejection letters?
At my agency, my clients don’t really have a choice (or at least I never really gave them one). When a rejection letter arrives, I immediately forward.
Why? Well, for several reasons.
I, in general, believe that an author has the right to see any communication regarding their project. It is, after all, their work.
Besides, if I don’t forward it right there in then, it’s unlikely I’m going to remember to send it later on. We do everything electronically here and yes, I do save the email letter in the client’s file but I almost never look at it again once a letter comes through. I know some agents wait until all the responses are in and then send them on but I think that would drive me crazy—like work hadn’t been completed or worse yet, I’d forget to send the letters at that point in time. Better to forward right away for my general peace of mind. Now I realize that it might not cause peace for the author so I always forward with commentary—either an encouraging note, or some inside insight to the editor and why he/she personally might have passed etc.
If editor feedback is helpful, I ask that the author to keep it in mind. If it’s not, I say just roll with it. Rejection is a part of the publishing game and I think in the long run, it’s in an author’s best interest to develop a thick skin. If the rejections in the submission stage bother you, just imagine how hard it will be to take a bad review?
Buck up and deal with it. It’s not personal (though it feels so). It’s simply a part of being a writer. Now of course, any client can call and bemoan the letter. I’m okay with that as that is a normal, human response. Or write a venting email to me about the editor’s lack of vision. That’s just fine too. If you can’t vent to your agent, who can you vent to?
Luckily, as of late, I’ve sold just about every project and for clients, rejections are so much easier to take when there is an offer already on the table. Funny how that works.
And if you are a writer who hasn’t reached the agent and the publisher submission stage and may still be looking for that elusive agent, then rejections just signal that you are in the game.
Considering that 90% of the population wants to write a novel but never have the guts to go for it, being in the game is a huge thing. Even though it sucks, rejections are a badge of honor. A rite of passage for when the publishing day finally arrives. Every published writer has a story of a rejection.
You can’t tell a good keynote speech without it!
STATUS: Downtown Denver is a zoo with the Democratic National Convention starting today. On the walk this morning to my office, I counted at least 10 people standing on the street with at least 5 cameras strapped to their persons.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? (DARLIN’) YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU by Tina Turner
I’m just a baby in this industry if you think about it. I worked for another agency before going out on my own in 2002 but even if I count up all the years, it’s certainly under 10. So just imagine what an agent who has been doing this biz for thirty years might know.
Well, you don’t have to imagine as editor Jofie Ferrari-Adler from Grove has been doing a series of interviews for Poets&Writers and this month he interviewed Molly Friedrich—who started agenting back in 1977 when I was all of 9 years old.
I took a lot of good things away from this interview but here are some points that stand out in my mind:
1. Credibility and respect are built over time. Honesty and integrity, for agents, may very well be our greatest asset.
2. That writing is often about original voice rather than labels. (Amen!)
3. That loyalty can mean a lot in this biz—loyalty to an agent, loyalty to a publishing house, loyalty to an author’s vision and career.
4. Selling a novel for a ton of money may not necessarily be the best thing that could happen to the book or to the author. And it’s a myth that all writers will be seduced by the big money. Some don’t necessarily want lots of dollar signs if it ends up being a detriment to a long term career.
5. As publishing gets reduced to fewer houses, there’s a sameness to the type of books that get published and become popular. Could an Annie Proulx be published today as a debut? (There’s a frightening thought!)
6. Some authors, no matter how much they are earning, aren’t worth keeping if they drain your energy as an agent.
7. Whining. There’s too much of it. From authors, from agents, from editors.
8. That we, as agents, know when we’ve done well by a book (and she’s not talking about large advance) and when we’ve messed up. (yep.)
And to me, these seem like good words for agents to live by: “If you're just going along like a hamster in a wheel, then you've lost the pure white heat that makes this business so much fun. And it should be challenging. That's what separates the great agents from the good agents.”
STATUS: Just finished watching the Walsh-May recent set domination in Women’s Beach volleyball.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? TV is on and will probably be for the next week.
Something must be in the water but I’ve heard three stories just this week of authors behaving badly. Gee whiz.
Obviously it’s time for me to blog about this topic again. If you are an established author looking to change agents (for whatever reason), there is a professional way to do this. There is an etiquette that should be followed or you are in danger of burning some bridges and if there’s anything I’ve learned in this biz, burning bridges, in general, does not help your career.
There is a way of severing a relationship professionally and there are many authors I’m hearing about lately who should have kept this in mind.
1. An established, already agented author should not be shopping for a new agent without formally ending the current representation.
Folks, publishing is a small world and no matter how discreet you think you are being, word often filters back to the agent in one way or another.
2. If an author is planning to leave and has already made that decision but has not told the current agent, he/she should not be career planning with the agent he/she is planning to leave nor should that author be availing him/herself of the current agent’s hospitality by attending agency functions at RWA or Worldcon. That’s just bad behavior.
3. If an author is planning to leave his or her agent, expect to be held to the letter of the agency agreement the author originally signed—especially if you behave badly before severing the relationship.
Most agents I know aren’t interested in standing in the way of an author’s career. Most are reasonable and would probably come to some sort of agreement or compromise on certain points (such as projects currently on submission) if the author behaved ethically in the severing of the relationship. If you didn’t, well, what can I say. An agent is not going to be in the mind frame to be conciliatory. Nor do they have to be legally if an agency agreement is in place.
And my last point is just something I want y’all to keep in mind. Whenever an already agented author comes to me looking for new representation, I always ask the question, “Does your current agent know you are looking?” My second question is always “have you had a conversation with your agent about your desire to leave? If you haven’t, you should.”
Now I realize that sometimes an agent/author relationship has gone so far south that any communication isn’t possible and this is not an option. Fine. Then your path is clear to sever that relationship before seeking new representation.
So make that clean break. Make sure your behavior is beyond reproach. At the very least, that gives you the ability to say you held the moral high ground regardless of anybody else’s behavior.
In the end, that strikes me as the most important aspect.
Actually, we haven't even gone anywhere, just busy, busy, busy, and the blog always seems to get pushed aside. We will be out of office for most of next week, so if you don't hear from us during that time don't get too worried.
What have we been doing lately? Much of the same to be honest. Subbing, talking to editors, editing and editing and editing.
Sorry to be short, but gotta get back to it. Have a wonderful week and hopefully it won't take me so long to get back to you.
Stay literate;)
Well, mail's been down all day for us, which just happened to be what we needed most today. Hopefully things will get situated by tomorrow so new subs can go out and I can e-mail some finished edits to clients and respond to your e-mails and editor e-mails (and all that jazz).
In the meantime, the Rockies won 2 in a row, Tulo, Hawpe, and Holliday are rehabbing their way back into the game, and maybe we can climb our way out of the cellar.
Have a wacky Wednesday, be cool, and stay literate;)
STATUS: Ready for sleep.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? FERNANDO by Abba
The other day I was reading a full manuscript that I had requested. I had read a good 100 to 150 pages and I knew I wasn’t going to take on the project. Now, whenever I read a full (or in this case, part of a full), I always create a personal letter to the author in reply.
The difficulty for this one is that I really weighed how honest I should be in the letter for why I was passing.
Now I imagine that most of you would say, “why did you hesitate! Be honest!” But here is the difficulty on why agents sometimes pull back on the big H.
1. When I’m reading, it’s often clear why it’s not right for me but I can often see why it might be right for somebody else with a different perspective or taste. So, is there a point to my being honest on why I personally am passing when I can see a potential value in the manuscript? Is that simply being discouraging rather than helpful?
Now, most times I will take the time to try and articulate why I’m passing while also including a caveat that it might be right for someone else. Sometimes that feels like a cop-out.
2. When I’m reading, it’s often not clear why a manuscript isn’t working for me. It just isn’t. Usually if I talk aloud to Sara about why I’m passing, I’ll often pinpoint the issue and then I’m able to articulate it in a letter to the author. Lots of times I’m flummoxed as to the “why” and then gosh darn, I’ve got to figure out something to say in the personal letter. That’s usually when I resort to the “I just didn’t fall in love” bit—which I know writers hate but seriously, I’m not trying to be obtuse. Sometimes I really don’t know why something isn’t working for me.
3. When the day is hectic and a contract is screaming to be finished and I’m behind on queries (and writers want a response—any at all) and fires are erupting, it’s truly hard to take the time to sit down and personalize a letter. I always do it but you writers should know that a personal letter can easily take 20 to 30 minutes to write. When you are working 12+ hour days, that 20 minutes is a big deal in the grand scheme of things. I’m ashamed to admit that I sometimes long for that “standard” letter that I can send out.
4. Personal letters are hard to write. And here’s the thing I hate the most. I’m a perfectionist but sometimes there is not enough time to proofread and yes, I’ve had egg on my face when I’ve reread an email letter I’ve sent out and there on the electronic page is a glaring typo. Oy! I took the time to personalize and then I look like an idiot on top of it. The writer is probably glad I passed on offering representation! Nothing worse than working in the biz and sending out a hurried, grammatically incorrect letter. Sigh. That also makes me long for the “standard” reply. That can at least be pre-checked.
5. This doesn’t happen too often but once in a great while I honestly can’t think of anything positive to say in a response letter for a full I’ve requested. What happened there? Obviously I read sample pages and liked it but there are times where I’ve thought, “what the heck was I thinking for requesting this one?” As I said, it rarely happens but when it does, boy is the honest, personal letter a struggle.
Probably not much comfort for you folks out there in the trenches but it’s the truth.
STATUS: A new company has moved into the office suite next door and they are holding a wine & cheese party in about 10 minutes (who could resist?). I have to say I’m intrigued by the company. They work with corporations and architects to purchase art for lobbies, office decoration, etc. Sounds a bit cool I must say.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? WAR OF MAN by Neil Young
Statements come in Feb/Aug, March/Sept, April/Oct, May/Nov, June/December. We can pretty much count on at least one statement to arrive for just about every month of the year. Feb/Aug and April/Oct being the most common royalty periods.
I spent today reviewing royalty statements—which can make you cross-eyed by the end of the day as publishing houses like to cram a lot of information onto one sheet.
So what exactly does this entail?
Several steps to be exact. We have a large excel spreadsheet that tracks each project and when we can expect statements. A reminder in our Time & Chaos program also pops up with links to our cheat sheets (which is the royalty structure of a publishing contract at a glance).
If it’s a first time statement, one just needs to verify that everything is correct on the sheet. The advanced paid, the royalty structure, and whether the sales match approximately to what we have down for the initial print run and any sales numbers gathered throughout the year.
If there has been a previous statement, then we do a comparison, track the sales we have listed in our notes to what is on the statements, as well as following up to make sure that if a subsidiary right has been sold or a book club sold into, then the advance and record of that is on the statement as well. The cheat sheets are invaluable for this.
Then there are the issues that might arise and so would need conversations with the royalty department. For example, one of our statements (before the book was released) had a deduction of $2 on it so now the author owes more than the advance against royalties.
Obviously that’s not right and needs to be corrected and a new statement generated.
If there are real discrepancies, then a closer, more intense review is in order. Many agents (if they don’t have an in-house person) will work with a royalty review service that has expertise in doing a closer audit of the statements (for a percentage fee of the recoverable—which the agent pays—not the author).
And yes, incorrect royalty statements can happen frequently so an agent needs to be diligent with the record keeping about each project.
Here's the fun part of the week. Several authors have just earned out beyond their advances so they get "surprise" money in the mail and smiles all around.
to the ball game.
Well, first game of the Rockie's season was rained out yesterday (a good thing for us the way the game was shaping up), so Game 1 against the Cardinals is tonight. I really enjoy listening to the game on the radio while I read or edit away. In fact, I used to do much of my writing the same way.
Today has been little beastie free (sure makes for a quiet time) and a good thing because there's plenty of catching up to do. If you're waiting to hear back from us on a query (my stack is over 50) or manuscript (holding at 13 for the moment) or editing project (at least a dozen of those going on), then we thank you for your patience and promise to get to you as soon as humanly possible.
March is done, and 350 rejections later we may have found a potential client or two. BUT we're still searching for the next great literary piece (young adult or adult) and are still looking at women's fiction, historical non-fiction, or political non-fiction.
As always, we're knee deep in follow ups, and the majority of my time today has been talking on the phone or e-mailing editors.
Have a foolish April Fools and stay literate;)
STATUS: All six contracts are almost complete. I’ll so drink to that!
What’s playing on the iPod right now? ELENORE by The Turtles
Over the weekend I realized my whole Friday entry was a bit cryptic if one didn’t know anything about payment schedules in publishing contracts. I’m pretty certain I’ve covered this in one of my prior entries (check out the Agenting 101 blogs) but what the heck, it doesn’t hurt to repeat it.
When a publisher buys a book, they don’t pay out the advance all at once (and probably none of you suffer from that assumption that they did, but I’ll state the basics just in case). No, when a publisher buys a book, they will stipulate a certain amount for the advance and then the payments are attached to what I call triggers—as in something contractually happens and a portion of the advance is paid.
Typical triggers can be these:
1. on signing of the contract
2. on d&a (delivery and acceptance) of a detailed outline
Side note: this happens often when a publisher is buying new books from one of their already established authors and they are buying on spec—as in nothing has been put on paper yet.
3. on d&a of the final manuscript
4. on publication of the work
5. on publication of a paperback edition
My favorite payouts are, of course, ½ on signing and ½ on d&a. Personally, when the monies are small, I really don’t see the sense in doing it otherwise. Now, I can understand when the advance pops into the six figures etc. but I don’t have to like it and I will certainly use all leverage possible to eliminate it. That’s my job after all—to get the best payout structure possible amongst other things.
Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of emphasis from Publishers to have payment in thirds rather than halves.
Of course I don’t lean that way either but I’m okay with it for the most part—if I can avoid the upon publ pym.
I’m sure y’all are sensing a mantra here. I’m not always successful and I imagine as Publishers dig in on this topic, it will be harder and harder to get.
Now as to Friday’s entry, what I meant by weighting forward is this.
What if the advance is 30k for one book. Payouts can look any number of ways.
If it’s in halves, that’s easy:
15k on signing
15k on d&a
If in thirds:
10k on signing
10k on d&a of outline
10k on d&a of full manuscript
Now let’s say you have to have the pym on publication and I can’t budge the Publisher on it. My job is to weight the payments forward.
Instead of equal thirds like this:
10k on signing
10k on d&a of full manuscript
10k on pub
I’ll try to weight monies forward:
12.5k on signing
12.5k on d&a full manuscript
5k on publication
And this can have a myriad of variations. I just did what was easy math.
Clear as mud?
STATUS: TGIF! I’m going to be so happy when all these contracts complete. That’s my new definition of happiness. That way I can get back to reading—which is the more fun part of the job.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? YOU LEARN by Alanis Morissette
I wish this issue would go the way of the dinosaur. I was talking with a few agent friends today and this topic came up—as it often does. Unfortunately, I’m convinced this one is stuck here for good so what to do about it.
Certain publishers are demanding payments on pub no matter what the advance is. (Cough—a publisher that begins with a “P” comes to mind). Other houses are more relaxed until the money gets into the six figures, then the upon pub payment rears its head.
Unless there is an auction going on. Then the agent can get the publisher off it because they want the book enough to be in an auction so will often be flexible where payout is concerned so as not to lose the auction.
If an author is big enough or established enough, well, anything is possible right? Not just no payments on pub.
But if you can’t get rid of it, what do you do? Well, we weight the money forward so as little money as possible will be paid on pub.
One agent did point out another factor I hadn’t really considered which is that an on pub payment allocates money in a different year as other monies in the contract (as publication more often than not happens in a year other than the contract). This can be better for authors in terms of paying taxes. This is true but it seems to me that taxes can be managed properly and most people would prefer the monies earlier.
I’m out.
STATUS: Fun picture of the week. My cousin was in Washington D.C. with her family and they visited the International Spy Museum and guess what they found in the gift store there? It just tickled us pink.
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What’s playing on the iPod right now? WATCH YOUR STEP by Anita Baker
As y’all know, I’ve been working on a lot of contracts lately. One contract was with a new publisher (Macmillan) that I had never sold a book to before so there’s just a lot of extra negotiation necessary to hammer out the boilerplate.
When I started reading the contract for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised at how normal it was. There were lots of elements already included that normally we would have to request and fight for. But it wasn’t so…until page 16 when I reached the Competitive Works clause.
I think my jaw dropped open and stayed that way for a good 15 minutes. I even rang up my contracts manager because I couldn’t believe how aggressive it was. Until this moment, I had never seen a publisher contract where the Competitive Works clause was more than one short paragraph.
CW, by the way, is where the publisher tries to limit what other books an author is allowed to write while working with this publisher. Needless to say, as an agent, I’m pretty aggressive in removing a lot of elements to this clause or adjusting them appropriately because if you don’t, it can really interfere in how an author can write for a living.
This clause had four sub-paragraphs in it, each one worded slightly differently but amounting to the same thing.
My fav is this one, “the Author will complete the Work and submit it to the Publisher prior to beginning work on any other book for INSERT GENRE (excluding only other books that may already be under separate contract to the Publisher).”
My goodness. And then there were three more paragraphs…
Uh, that will need to be changed.
STATUS: This week has been about meeting with editors and my authors who have come to town so no “this is what editors are looking for” stories to regale you with. Although I did have coffee with a children’s editor who is looking for anything multicultural. What a refreshing change as I love multicultural stories as well. And rumor has it that Grand Central is going to be starting a Latino/Latina line over there.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? SELF CONTROL by Laura Brannigan
I’m not sure why people think that agenting is a way to get rich quick.
Snort. I can barely type that with a straight face but there seems to be this misperception.
I opened my own agency in August of 2002. I had a small business loan and a five-year plan in place when I embarked on what is a risky proposition. (Actually, starting any small business is risky not just agenting).
When I launched, I truly believed it would take 5 years for the agency to be profitable (and if it weren’t by then, I was in trouble). I hit profitable (as in not operating in the red—salary plus all expenses) in year three by a slim margin. Still, I was quite proud. I was definitely ahead of schedule.
So in those early years, I tracked reimbursable expenses (such as photocopies, postage, the basic stuff) and was reimbursed by the client. But here’s the kicker. The reimbursement ALWAYS happened after the sale of the project to a publisher. If the project didn’t sell, I ate the cost. I repeat. The author was not responsible for anything if the project didn’t sell. Was not recuperating those costs hard to swing in those early years? You betcha but I was unwilling to do otherwise despite my red bottom line.
I have heard of perfectly legitimate agencies (with trackable sales) billing their clients for reimbursable costs at the end of each year regardless of whether a project has sold or not. It’s not against AAR regulations. It’s certainly not sketchy per se but for me personally, I don’t agree with that practice.
For me, the billing for “costs” before any sale has the potential of being abused by agents and agencies that are either ineffectual or operating pretty close to the margin of actually not being legitimate. For my agency, I wanted to make sure the boundaries where absolutely clear.
Now I’m in year five and enjoying solid success, so what did I decide to do (and I actually did this two Januaries ago when I was becoming profitable in year three). I did away with reimbursed expenses.
Yep, you heard that right. I don’t track expenses and expect the client to reimburse—before or after a sale now. The agency foots the bill as the cost of doing business.
There are two exceptions though. The agency does track costs associated with International postage or wire transfers (as those are unusual) and we also do track book purchases used in selling subsidiary rights (because that can get expensive very quickly). We always email the clients first to find out if they want to provide the copies and if not, to check if the cost incurred is okay with them before we proceed.
Perhaps we’re crazy but I find that ultimately it’s not worth the time and effort to track it.
Why do I bring this up? Well, I haven’t talked about fees or reimbursable costs in a long time and I think it’s wise to keep talking about this issue. As I mentioned, legitimate agencies might have this practice and as long as they have a long list of documented sales (where it’s obvious their reputation is impeccable), it’s probably not a worry.
However, I would ALWAYS approach it with caution as there are many marginal agents/agencies that are happy to be reimbursed for submission expenses but don’t have the corresponding sales. And if you are going to be billed for those expenses, it should ALWAYS be accompanied and documented by receipts.
STATUS: Gearing up for my last week chock full of appointments. Can I say I think I might be lunched out?
What’s playing on the iPod right now? LANDSLIDE by Stevie Nicks
Last night I had dinner with an agent friend. I have to say we dished the dirt on the editors we love and the editors we’d rather not deal with.
I’m sure EVERYONE would love me to list that on my blog but some things are better left unsaid. And just to reassure editors out there who read this blog, it would have to be pretty egregious to get on our “no send” list so don’t sweat it if you are like 95% of the editors out there who are great, sane, normal, and a solid editor who tries his or her best.
But here is an interesting tidbit from our discussion. We were talking about client projects that come in and despite our plea for revisions or a solid edit, the client declines and would prefer to submit as is. And in our hearts, we know it won’t sell.
We submit anyway, and it doesn’t sell. Our only hope is that the editors point out our same thoughts and feelings in their response letters.
If that doesn’t happen, well, we can always try and beg for another revision so as to take it back out again (which by the way, both of us would be willing to do as we can convince the editors to give it another look if it’s a strong/major revision).
Read through 15 subs over the weekend. 1 was author info only, so we requested a sample. The other 14 are all rejections.
Had messages this morning, so that was first on the list. Then the usual rounds of initial subs for new projects, followed by additional subs for other projects and follow ups.
Drank some coffee. Read Publishers Lunch (have to stay on top of that one, my little beasties, or else it piles up).
Having a good Monday, actually. Half through my sub list to send today, with only 100 pp of editing to do.
Other than editing over the weekend and reading subs, I read:
Playing for Pizza by John Grisham (not bad, especially considering I'm not much on football).
Black Water and Gravedigger's Daughter by Joyce Carol Oates.
Third Degree by Greg Iles.
Yes, I do read fast;)
I've also started my own writing again. Haven't focused on my own work since the agency started, so finding time and getting back to it are both challenging. What works for me? Setting aside the same time each night for my writing, immersing myself in alot of reads in the same genre I'm writing, and music (I have different sets of songs to listen to depending on which chapters I'm writing).
I'm old fashioned in my writing. I cannot work straight into a computer, but use 70 count spiral notebooks (college-ruled) and rollerball pens. The key is to keep up with typing everything into the computer. I once lost the first 20k of a story before it got into the computer (Ouch!)
It actually works well because I do the intial writing for that chapter, go back and reread and make notes (my margins often contain all sorts of scribbles and notes), then do the third edit when I type it in. Let it sit for a day, then print it out and read, then make changes. This process is repeated one chapter at a time. Then, once it's completed I do a final edit. So, five rounds in all.
Of course, sometimes 5 rounds doesn't do it (we all know that), so then it sits for more changes another day.
What do I write? Well, this one is a supernatural thriller with a literary bent. As always, this one's the best thing I've done yet. Like agenting, writing is a learning experience. We grow and evolve from one word to the next.
Stay literate;)
I've got about seven minutes to blog something of world-wide and lifelong importance.
....I'm drawing a blank.
I just joined a writing group - our first meeting is in January and I'm already worried about it. I think writing groups are amazingly wonderful things and suggest that writers join them. I actually prescribe to the same rules that Orson Scott Card set out for us: Stay in your writers group for a year, then find new people... people will get used to your writing and will stop being those fresh eyes that you need to make your work better.
Of course, he said it in a much more polished manner -- but hell, he's been a writer forever and I can still barely wrap my head around the fact that a book has to be entirely in one tense.
Erm, for those of you who don't know... I wrote a book. I sent it to my editor (Stephen Barbara at the Donald Maass sold it for me), and the first thing she said was: do you know that some of this is written in past tense and some in present? Do you know which you'd like the book in? Which is amusing, because about seven years ago I was in an online writers group and that's the same comment they'd always make. I think I might be tense-disabled because no matter how much I understand it when it is explained to me, I can't seem to pick out the difference in a manuscript. I will be sending flowers to my copyeditor.
I've never heard of MY clients having this sort of problem, so obviously it's a "slow" thing and not a "common" thing (boo hiss on me)... and it's really embarrassing. I'm used to people saying things like, "Nadia, YOU are a literary agent?" When I get really nervous I start speaking really, really fast and jumble up all my words. I like to think this is a pathological thing rather than a developmental thing... but if there is a way (or a dysfunction) that would allow me to blame this on my mother... please let me know. And usually I can tell when a person is like, "Really -- you work in books?" Yes, but I can edit emails. As long as you don't expect them all in the same tense, that is.
Anyway, I joined my first writers group since...forever... and it's all publishing people, which will either be amazingly awesome or scary. Right now it's two agents and two editors. Which feels a little bit high stress to me, but I'll let you know how that goes.
The reason for a writers group is because... well, because most agents/editors are unable to do the same job they were able to do thirty years ago (if they ever did it), which is to develop their author, work really closely with them and... well, be their first and best reader. So, now we suggest writers groups (hope you find a good one!) that will suffice instead. That kind of sucks.
I'm not sure if it's because... No, I know why it is: ok, here's my theory: there are more and more agents out there. There are more and more books being published that seem to sustain a certain amount of agent-industry growth... but agents aren't being trained/educated outside their own companies (it's still largely an apprentice industry, I actually just wrote NYU about this very thing... Hm... ), but the book market is polarizing between big books and small books. New agents fight over these books and these clients... and, in theory, make 15% of the already (probably) pitiful earnings their non-bestseller clients make. So, to compensate, we sign more and more clients. because 15% of one pitiful advance is really pitiful but one hundred times pitiful is less pitiful... it's... moreiful. (Just kidding, I wouldn't actually make up a word like that... Plus, I'd just tense it wrong).
So here, again, are our options: EGO & MONEY control everything... Are we good enough to pick less projects and work harder on those few projects than we could possible work on 50 clients or so? Yeah, I know a ton of agents who are this good. Ok, a dozen.
Can we afford it? Can our companies afford to pay us to make one HUGE deal a year (which can be fraught with "Oops, that fell through!")? Do we have the money and the ego to sustain us through the, "Oh shit...what if this doesn't work out?"
See what I mean? Yikes.
I think I need to think on this some more. I'm sorry I called your advance pitiful. I wasn't really talking about YOUR advance. I was talking about advances in general (charming smile).
Last night I went out for drinks with my favorite agent (well my favorite agent that doesn't work at Firebrand, wink wink, nudge nudge) and the coolest editor I know and another really cool magazine editor. But it was supposed to be a social thing.
Which didn't happen. We, of course, spent 85% of our time talking about work. and 15% of our time (haha pitiful time) talking about things that are too inappropriate to write here. But we got into a fun heated discussion about Option Clauses. And the amount of risk that agents/authors are taking vs the amount of risk that editors/publishing houses are taking.... and how limited an option clause can/should be.
We eventually got tired and slipped into the inappropriate conversation which was easier to handle and less charged. But I feel like my opinion of option clauses has changed slightly... but that's another post entirely as it'll be a long rant.
Ok, It's late, I need to work and respond to emails that seem to be breeding in my inbox like bunnies (really, where do they all come from?)
Look Mom, I posted twice in one week!
(My Mom doesn't actually read this blog. If she did, she'd be emailing me every day saying things like, "Did you use the word 'Shit'? Is that the kind of daughter you want people to know I raised?" or "Why do you make Mom jokes all the time? I don't get it?"... and that would ruin some of the humor, don't you think?)
(Just a side note... My mom got all serious over thanksgiving and asked if I had written her into my story...she asked if the mother in my book was really horrible or really nice, and she looked really, really nervous about it. I told her not to worry. My character's mother was dead...She was not pleased.)
(Hah.)
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Seven years? Isn't that good luck or something?
Maybe you'll discover the next Nobel prize winning author this year! ;}
I'd really like to thank you for doing this blog. I tried to explain to a friend once how real agents make money when she said a friend of hers from college was paying someone a few hundred dollars to be an agent--"After all, you can't expect them to just work for free!>"--and I couldn't seem to get it through. The more of this plain talk out there of how the business works, the less likely it is for scammers to get a foot in the door with naive young writers.
Perhaps you've posted about this before, but how did you get into being an agent, Kristin?
What skills and qualifications do you think people need to be a good agent? What helps an agent be successful? How do people make a start in the business?
It seems to be an interesting way to make a living, albeit with its own frustrations!
I suppose the conferences usually fall on a weekend, so you do the Mon-Fri in the office ... and then spend the weekend "off" working at a conference?
Jill
www.jilledmondson.blogspot.com
Right. So long as you are going to someone else's conference. The profit matrix is a bit different if its a conference you are putting together. If that were the case, then you'd want the biggest following of wannabe writers you could get--especially the ones with no hope of actually writing something that can sell.
But, if you aren't doing the conference, then sure, the only motivation would be to find new talent. And I certainly wish you the best of luck in that.
I like what Noah Lukeman does: he writes a free guide to crafting a query letter and then constantly refers in it to a twenty-dollar guide he's written on finding a literary agent, presumably on whom to test out one's much improved query letter. I'm not knocking it. I've got two of his books (The First Five Pages and The Plot Thickens) and I've got the free guide and may well buy the twenty-dollar guide.
Like I said, I'm not judging the man or woman who finds it more lucrative to sell the gold mining equipment rather than mining the gold; I'm just pointing out that there is a vast reservoir of wannabe writers who, like the main character in Stephen King's UR, will never publish in any possible universe. But we still have viable checkbooks.
Life is what life is. I'm not judging it. I'm simply pointing out how it works beyond the facades of utter nobility.
But I hear you: you don't make money at conferences. I think you should; that's all I'm saying.
Agents making their money at conferences? I always wonder where some people get their ideas from.
As always, thanks for providing some valuable insight into the life of an agent!
And unless the agent is married/has a partner, gets a salary (rare) or is independently wealthy, most agents also work a second and/or third job while agenting because agenting doesn't actually pay the bills for at least 5-7 years.
I wish more writers understood that, and that more agents would be upfront and honest about how difficult it is to make a living doing this for the first few years.
If we're not doing it for the money (and trust me, we're not; just like nobody chooses to work in publishing for the money), then it must be because we have a genuine passion for the books.
=)
Cheers!
Colleen
I hope to make you a heap of money someday :D
And you can't really put a wage on helping make people's dreams come true. I think you have a kewl job.
I recall Old Will here not in a personal sense but for her stallwart defense of the industry at-large "methinks the lady doth protest too much!"
I was a newspaper reporter for seven years. There is a 50/50 chance, I believe, that a public official's motivation for getting into office wasn't of snow-driven purity.
This flitting off to conference business bothers me, as in deeply. At last check a round-trip ticket to Hawaii was pretty expensive.
We consider that most agents, like most writers, aren't running in the black like Ms. Nelson is; these days they aren't successful, aren't running at a profit or even breakng even. She seems very honest, forthright and undoubtably the exception, the "honest" fifty percent.
Then we come to those others who seem to looooooooveeeeee this conference business. In fact, some are more often than not, AT a conference rather than look at YOUR manuscript you sent them three months ago! Do..you...LOVE IT!?
Satriales was the locale where the envelopes were exchanged in the Supranos, we recall.
How and where might an agent, not among the other fifty percent, best be "coaxed" shall we say? Well, you would need FACETIME wouldn't you?
Human nature IS what it IS especially in these tough times. Writers who were desperate when times were good, just got more desperate, didn't they?
Let's not kid ourselves....
Plus it's a job you love (most of the time from what I gather) :) That alone is worth it.
Oh to be blessed with a job I loved and felt passionate about...you are indeed extraordinarily blessed!
I think I remember the same comment, regarding agents profiting from attending conferences. The commenter was apparently suggesting that those ten minute "one-on-one" sessions, which the attendees pay for, are a source of big money for the agents. While the Hawaii conference charged $50 for a slot, I wouldn't imagine that the agents get a portion of that... do they?
Like most arts concerns, writing conferences are struggling this year. No one is rolling in the dough.
As to the commenter higher up that indicated that a ticket to Hawaii is expensive -- from the East Coast, where I live, a ticket to Hawaii is about $500. Some people travel, and consider it just a normal thing to take a trip like that once every year or so. Others find it almost a shocking indulgence. It's all in where you spend your money. I bet nearly everyone on this board could save up for a ticket to Hawaii eventually.
If you could find $500 to spend on a sick child, you could find it to go to Hawaii... you just don't want to spend it that way. And surely it isn't true that agents OWE it to potential customers to stay home and read their manuscripts when they have an offer of a free trip to Hawaii...?
Patrice
Me? I'd sooner coach my kid's soccer game, or even sit through one of their swim meets than spend a minute locked indoors at a conference, making nice, smiling so hard my face hurts, for a bunch of agents who are only there for the free eats, laugh at the wannabees and a few minutes on the plastic lanai by the pool; agents who will forget me, and all my whiny writer nonsense before their plane touches down again on the mainland.
In a hotel conference room in Hawaii!? Really? That's a good time?
Sistah, if I am going to Hawaii, I am bringing the whole family and our surfboards. And hope I don't get my haule ass beat too bad by the locals after riding the North Shore.
More bedda than sitting in a room bribing agents in an industry that's changing faster than people can write contracts.
Life's too short, sistah.