AGENT CALLED! What do I do?

[sissybaby]

I'm not sure where to post this, and it will possibly all fizzle anyway, but I am not sure how to proceed.

I got a call from an agent who expressed interest in a PB text I sent - so far I've been very selective in sending it out.

Said agent has asked to see more of my work. Actually, whatever I've written. For longer works, said agent wants 50 pages, for PBs and Chapter Books, the whole ms.

I'm dumbfounded, but don't know if I should really send ALL - I mean, I have a couple of MG's that aren't complete. Surely not those.

Anyone have any advice? I think my heart has slowed down enough that I can comprehend your answers for the most part.

Thanks. (I keep forgetting to breathe!)

Sissy

[Cyia]

Send whatever's finished with a note asking if he/she wants to see your in progress stuff, too.

Who's the agent? Please???

(rep-share if you don't want to post on the open board.)

And CONGRATS!

:snoopy:

[kdbeaar]

:banana::PartySmil:TheWave::snoopy:

[Sage]

How exciting :D

[suki]

I'm not sure where to post this, and it will possibly all fizzle anyway, but I am not sure how to proceed.

I got a call from an agent who expressed interest in a PB text I sent - so far I've been very selective in sending it out.

Said agent has asked to see more of my work. Actually, whatever I've written. For longer works, said agent wants 50 pages, for PBs and Chapter Books, the whole ms.

I'm dumbfounded, but don't know if I should really send ALL - I mean, I have a couple of MG's that aren't complete. Surely not those.

Anyone have any advice? I think my heart has slowed down enough that I can comprehend your answers for the most part.

Thanks. (I keep forgetting to breathe!)

Sissy

What Cyia said. Send what is done and polished. If it's rough, and that's all you have or think it's your most promising, send it with a note that it is the first draft. And ask if the agent wants work in progress samples.

And rep me too, please, if you don't mind. :)

Good luck!

~suki

[bclement412]

Congrats and good luck! That is so awesome!

Rep? Pweese? With an extra cherry and sugar on top?

[CheekyWench]

:hooray:

[Wayne K]

I wouldn't do any of what these people tell you to do, until I was done doing this :snoopy:

[SheilaJG]

:snoopy:That's super exciting, Sissy!

I have no suggestions, but I wanted to say congrats! And keep us posted.

A call? Like, as in a telephone call? That's so cool.

[wyntermoon]

Great news!!

[Libbie]

Wow, how exciting!

Definitely send what you have all polished up. If you have a lot of stuff that's polished, choose five or six to send. And as Cyia suggested, include a note about the in-progress stuff.

Then...CELEBRATE! Even if this doesn't lead to an offer of representation, this is still really fun and cool!

[Hedgetrimmer]

Hot diggity dog! I can't wait for the post saying you've signed on as a client.

[sissybaby]

You are all so absolutely wonderful for the response. And for the help and encouragement many of you have provided over the last couple of years.

Yes, I know I may be hyperventillating (sp?) ahead of schedule, but I can't help it. Sure, I've been asked for partials and even fulls a few times, but I've never had an agent call me on the phone! I was very nearly speechless, and I'm still not sure I uttered a single sentence that might have been anywhere near coherent. It was just so unexpected, especially for a PB - actually, it's even more bizarre than that, but I'll save the rest for later.

And heartfelt apologies, but I can't drop any names at this point - please try to understand. I just don't feel it would be the most ethical thing for me - it would make me feel very guilty.

Has a call from an agent ever made anyone else feel like they might puke? In a good way, I mean, if that makes ANY sense at all.

Anyway, thanks so much for making me feel even better than I already did.

Sissy

[bclement412]

No worries! I completely understand. :D

And just thinking about an agent calling me makes me want to puke-- I think I'd pass out if I ever talk to one. Lol.

[Hedgetrimmer]

Sissy, you've already received some great advice, but I just want to toss this into the mix. The agent is obviously interested in your PB, but because she is asking about other work, I suspect the PB is probably only a foot in the door. The PB market is still very soft (from what I'm reading on blogs), and even in good times agents don't make much commission from them.

She is probably hoping your MG work is just as appealing. Personally, I can't remember any of your PBs from SYW, but I do recall your novels and have been impressed with the stuff you've posted.

As others have said, be upfront about your longer projects not being complete, but polish them as much as you can before sending them off. It might also be a good idea to sketch out an outline (if you haven't done so) just in case she wants to know where the novels are ultimately going.

But relax. She already thinks your PB is good. Now show her your novels are even better.

[Donnettetxgirl]

Sissybaby, that is so awesome! I hope this agent offers to rep you. He/she certainly was interested enough to pick up the phone & call you. Your project must have made him/her excited.

I had the same thing happen to me week before last. This agent said some wonderful things about my book (things I thought I'd never hear an agent say). It was truly an amazing experience. Unlike anything else. I didn't puke. But by the time I got off the phone, I was laughing with joy to the point I couldn't talk. My husband kept standing there asking who was on the phone. All I could do was get one word out & start laughing again. It certainly gets the heart to beating wildly.

The agent who called is the one I was hoping would take interest. That's another thing that made it so incredible. I do have to say though, a few days leading up to that phone call, everytime my phone rang I kept thinking it might be an agent. Which is really unlike me to think that way. And when he did call, as soon as he asked for me, I knew exactly who he was without him saying another word. I don't know how I knew. It was the strangest thing.

Like Libbie stated, even if the agent doesn't offer representation in the end (which is a possibility that's been driving me nuts lately), it's still a really cool thing to have happened. The wonderful things he said about my story & my writing made me feel incredible. There's not a whole lot of things that have the potential to do such drastic things to you like the phone call of an agent.

Best of luck to you, Sissybaby. I hope you get that contract.

Donnette Smith
www.freewebs.com/romanceauthor
www.myspace.com/storycreater

[MsJudy]

Well, after you do what everybody else suggested, I think the next thing you do is go out and celebrate with the drink/dessert of your choice. Congratulations!!!!

[RitrChick]

Completely amazing, sissy. You rock! Can't wait to hear more good news. Let the puking begin! :D

[abctriplets]

Wow that's great! I haven't gotten to the point where anything I have is good enough to send out yet, but when I do, I can't wait to have a similar experience :)

[fringle]

Amazing! )) Congrats!

[Ivan_B]

WELL DONE!!!
However you're writing, you're doing it right. Don't let your style change now!

[kaitie]

This is awesome! I hope it works out for you. :D

[Sary]

Has a call from an agent ever made anyone else feel like they might puke? In a good way, I mean, if that makes ANY sense at all.


When my agent first called me, she left me a voicemail and I had to call her back. Read: I dialed six numbers, hung up, tried not to puke. Dialed eight numbers, hung up, tried not to puke. Dialed one number, hung up, tried not to puke. LOL -- if you can't tell, I just don't do well on the phone.

But the phone call was not scary in the least, once I made it through all the numbers! This is good news! (So try not to puke. But nobody would blame you if you did. :) )

[sissybaby]

Well, it's good to know I'm not the only one!

Continued thanks for all the well wishes. You all rock!

Sissy

[jilly61]

congrats Sissy, hope the agent takes you on board.

I'd given up submitting PBs to agents but maybe its time to start again.

[stormie]

Has a call from an agent ever made anyone else feel like they might puke? In a good way, I mean, if that makes ANY sense at all.
Not puke, just felt faint. I had to plop myself down in the nearest chair.

Congrats!

[Khanada]

Ohmigosh - CONGRATULATIONS, SISSY!!! I don't have any advice for you, but just wanted to add my two cents!

Perhaps I'll just add that what Hedgetrimmer said made a lot of sense to me. I have a PB manuscript that I was planning to send direct to publishers, thinking agents would be completely uninterested. So the fact that you were able to compel an agent to call you after reading one of your PBs really says something!

[Alanna B.]

YEY!! You go girl!!:):):):):)

[ILSinTexas]

WOW, Sissy!

I just found this thread. How terribly exciting for you! Remember I told you in my last email that I felt like 2010 would be the year for us? Well, can I say "I told you so"? Even if nothing comes of it, at least you now know you can write, and it should make the querying process a lot less stressful.

Hugs at cha, you deserve them.

Irene

[ILSinTexas]

Sissy?

Can you tell us more? Please. I'd love to know an agent is considering your work.

Hugs,

Irene

[timp67]

Congrats, sissybaby! And don't be nervous. Agents are nice. :)

[Wayne K]

Congrats, sissybaby! And don't be nervous. Agents are nice. :)
Have you ever eaten with one? :D

[Alanna B.]

When I got an offer for representation from an agent, I almost threw up too! I couldn't even finish my lunch. Just so you know you're not alone! ;) How did it go??

[sissybaby]

Thanks to all for the well wishes. Still waiting. But I've also resumed work on one of my WIPs, so that's a good thing.

Waiting is really, really hard. Reminds me of my favorite line from UP, "tents are hard." I could watch that movie every day.

[Alanna B.]

Agreed on both points... waiting stinks, and the movie UP is so great! I had to wait three days between an email telling me the agent would call, and the actual phone call. My husband got pretty tired of me pacing the halls. ;) Good Luck to you!!

[sissybaby]

Oh, wait, they email you first to let you know they're going to call you - days later?

That just seems so wrong.

But I realize they want to make sure you'll be there and they don't keep playing phone tag for days, so it does make total sense.

Agent will call, in good time.

Sissy

[STKlingaman]

Gee . . .
Isn't that what all of us would love to hear.
Isn't that why, if not all of us - most of us are here?
Send them anything, and everything they want
(unless you think the agent is of questionable moral
standards).

[Alanna B.]

I know, it was worth the wait, but it was hard, so I can relate.:)

[shaldna]

Congrats. That's very exciting.

Send them whatever you have FINISHED. but also mention that you have several works in progress.

[Sheila Muirenn]

I want to say congrats too!

No advice from me. But when I saw the title of this thread included the words: what shall I do? My first reaction was to say send chocolate along with the MS :evil

Good Luck!

[sissybaby]

thanks so much for your continued well wishes. I'll let everyone know when I hear something.

Keep on swimming, keep on swimming.

Sissy