Back in the dark ages, someone I admired advised holding out for an agent who is wild about your work. Not just someone who likes your story or someone who is impressed because of your platform or track-record but choose her because she is enthusiastic about you and your work.
In Part One: the Vlog, I write about meeting my agent Jill Corcoran of the Herman Agency. Jill's enthusiasm radiates from her in the words she speaks and the pitches she writes. The day I met her at a weekend writers retreat lasted until after dark. A month or so later, I was lucky enough to hang out with her for nearly a week during one of my plot retreat in the redwoods. I found her to be even more knowledgeable and energetic and generous than the 1st time I met her. I love her heart and how much she loves books and writing and poetry and authors and what I teach.
In response to pitching mainstream, national publishers for the second edition of Blockbuster Plots Pure and Simple, Jill immediately received two offers. The choice was not a difficult one to make. The acquisition editor of Adams Media came back not with an offer for the 2nd edition to BBP but instead with a request for a book based on this blog. Now that wisp of inspiration is The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of the Universal Story Structure Any Writer Can Master
All this was happening as Cathy and I continued filming our vlogs. By Step 12: How Do I Plot the Middle of a Novel, Memoir, Screenplay, the The Plot Whisperer book was visioned by Paula Munier and I was hooked.
By Step 22: How Do I Plot the Beginning of the End of a Novel, Memoir, Screenplay. the contract was finalized and the manuscript turned in.
Part Three: The Editor
For immediate tips about the Universal Story and writing a novel, memoir or screenplay, visit 1 Comments on The Evolution a Book -- Part Two: The Agent, last added: 8/4/2011
Hi Martha. I haven't stopped by in a while, but am glad I did today. I recently finished my first novel and have been querying agents for the past month while I start to plot the sequel. Your vlogs and columns will be a terrific help to me. Thanks for being so generous with your wisdom and inspiration!