- Joined
- May 14, 2009
- Messages
- 1,530
- Reaction score
- 2,426
Purgatory's Pit of Doom
- Thread starter Branwyn
- Start date
- Status
(((Cricket))) (((JEQ)))
I know I'm probably not allowed to be hanging out down here, but I want to hide under the sofa for a bit. I don't deal well with pressure, or high-pressure decisions, and I can't help but think that no matter what I do, I'll make the WRONG decision. I did last time. I've seriously been making myself sick with anxiety.
I know I'm probably not allowed to be hanging out down here, but I want to hide under the sofa for a bit. I don't deal well with pressure, or high-pressure decisions, and I can't help but think that no matter what I do, I'll make the WRONG decision. I did last time. I've seriously been making myself sick with anxiety.
- Joined
- May 14, 2009
- Messages
- 1,530
- Reaction score
- 2,426
(((Ink))) From what you wrote yesterday, you had a pretty good handle on what direction you were heading.
And you know, I've known people who went with a big agent and things ended lousy. And vise-versa. There's no "right" choice. Go with your gut--it's all you can do.
*takes a moldy blanket, tucks it around Ink*
And you know, I've known people who went with a big agent and things ended lousy. And vise-versa. There's no "right" choice. Go with your gut--it's all you can do.
*takes a moldy blanket, tucks it around Ink*
You're allowed to hang out here, Ink. You leave The Pit, but it never leaves you.
I don't know what you should do, but it would be ironic if you picked AR at Par. considering you didn't pick her colleague last time and you said it was a wrong decision. Perhaps there's a little karma in there.
I don't know what you should do, but it would be ironic if you picked AR at Par. considering you didn't pick her colleague last time and you said it was a wrong decision. Perhaps there's a little karma in there.
There are many levels in the Pit, Ink. And I'm guessing we've got a spot for wallowing in paralytic fear of making the wrong decision.
Gag. Gak. Gugh. I missed Toooor/Foooorge (with Screamcatcher) by the skin of my teeth. Editor said it had a mind-blowing premise and she took it home to read it over the weekend. Thought about it for two days afterwards, trying to make a decision. Although some disconnect with the minor characters were evident, it was the boyfriend of the female MC that used too much slang that lead to the rejection.
Flyin’ fuck me dry over a dirty wine keg!!! I would have least thought that I could garner a rewrite request for such a characterization snafu. Where’s the confidence, I ask you? I think these hurt the worst. My agent was amazed, nay stunned.
I belong in the pit. There’s no place like the pit. My ruby slippers are busted. I’m never getting out of here. But...I kind of like it here, in a morbid sense.
Tri
Flyin’ fuck me dry over a dirty wine keg!!! I would have least thought that I could garner a rewrite request for such a characterization snafu. Where’s the confidence, I ask you? I think these hurt the worst. My agent was amazed, nay stunned.
I belong in the pit. There’s no place like the pit. My ruby slippers are busted. I’m never getting out of here. But...I kind of like it here, in a morbid sense.
Tri
Come on under the couch, Tri. There's room aplenty for someone who's just been served a rejection like that.
(((Tri))) Ugh.
Thanks, guys. If you see bits of blood and brain matter everywhere, it's because my head exploded.
Thanks, guys. If you see bits of blood and brain matter everywhere, it's because my head exploded.
(((JEQ)) (((Cricket)))
Must go to Purgatory...
And hey! I met Octavia, her sister, and kids at the children's museum, and she is awesome. Here we are with her cute baby.
ETA: Sorry that took so long to upload that I missed Tri's bad news. (((Tri)))
Must go to Purgatory...
And hey! I met Octavia, her sister, and kids at the children's museum, and she is awesome. Here we are with her cute baby.
ETA: Sorry that took so long to upload that I missed Tri's bad news. (((Tri)))
I'm so glad I got to hang out with Kellion this afternoon. She is so lovely and awesome, just like you would imagine 
(((Tri)))
(((Cricket)))
(((Ink))) I feel for you. I can't imagine that much pressure. Trust your gut on this one.
(((Tri)))
(((Cricket)))
(((Ink))) I feel for you. I can't imagine that much pressure. Trust your gut on this one.
Yes! It was also fun to meet her adorable kids and sweet sister. Octavia and I compared biographical notes but we did not play the Kevin Bacon game -- we have so many common industries/locations/institutions I was afraid we would actually turn out to know each other already if we dug deep enough.
Last edited:
- Joined
- May 14, 2009
- Messages
- 1,530
- Reaction score
- 2,426
According to QT, there are 492 literary agent to query. More than YA.
That is really something. I wonder how many are actively seeking new clients though? *snort* wondering that in general about most agents. Even those that SAY they want new clients and certain types of books just never respond to queries.
LOL, Kellion. I know, it was weird wasn't it?
Yes, that image was from the film, "From Hell It Came." Here is a picture of the tree monster just before tossing the poor woman in the quicksand.
That movie looks awesome, JEQ.
I bet most fiction agents, even those who mostly prefer various genres, put "literary fiction" and "commercial fiction" just to cover all their bases...
I bet most fiction agents, even those who mostly prefer various genres, put "literary fiction" and "commercial fiction" just to cover all their bases...
Last edited:
I love those horrible 50s monster movies. That is a particularly lame monster - it could be bothered to eat the girls or tear them apart? A fraking tree throwing a girl in quicksand? That's hilariously lame.
Morning pit!
My favorite movie of that era was the original blob. It was hysterical. People running around afraid of a giant oozing ball of goo. I remember laughing so hard that my stomach hurt. Awesome movie. The remake sucked.
I finally read the whole agent discussion upstairs, very interesting indeed. My opinions were more inline with those of you that posted your thoughts. K@thl33n Ort!z is doing a poll on her blog about how people rank the qualities they look for in an agent. One of the biggest winners, so far, is a good online presence. How silly to me that you would rank that higher than proven sales, ebook knowledge, subsidiary rights knowledge. It is almost like saying you just want the popularity factor over actual skills (AND I'm not saying those who have a strong online presence don't have skills or deep knowledge, I just think the online persona is a silly criteria to use in agent hunting. The best agent might be one you've never heard of or who doesn't blog)
ETA: I also looked more into the # of agents who take lit fic on querytracker. Only 385 are accepting unsolicited queries. Most of the small/boutique agencies have a query only one person, a no from one is a no from all, so I would think that number who cut it down by another hundred. Then there are those agencies who say they want lit fic, but don't sell it (and never have) that just try to cast a wide net. Still, I will say that there are those who I neglected to query for my first book that may be worth looking at now. But not many. I still think that success story person could have done a better job targeting agents who would have been interested.
My favorite movie of that era was the original blob. It was hysterical. People running around afraid of a giant oozing ball of goo. I remember laughing so hard that my stomach hurt. Awesome movie. The remake sucked.
I finally read the whole agent discussion upstairs, very interesting indeed. My opinions were more inline with those of you that posted your thoughts. K@thl33n Ort!z is doing a poll on her blog about how people rank the qualities they look for in an agent. One of the biggest winners, so far, is a good online presence. How silly to me that you would rank that higher than proven sales, ebook knowledge, subsidiary rights knowledge. It is almost like saying you just want the popularity factor over actual skills (AND I'm not saying those who have a strong online presence don't have skills or deep knowledge, I just think the online persona is a silly criteria to use in agent hunting. The best agent might be one you've never heard of or who doesn't blog)
ETA: I also looked more into the # of agents who take lit fic on querytracker. Only 385 are accepting unsolicited queries. Most of the small/boutique agencies have a query only one person, a no from one is a no from all, so I would think that number who cut it down by another hundred. Then there are those agencies who say they want lit fic, but don't sell it (and never have) that just try to cast a wide net. Still, I will say that there are those who I neglected to query for my first book that may be worth looking at now. But not many. I still think that success story person could have done a better job targeting agents who would have been interested.
Last edited:
I read that too, and those results blew my mind.
My last agent had a big internet presence: twitter, blog, lots of contests, and now I believe she's doing crits online too. Good for her if it makes her happy. I have no problem with tweeting/blogging/whatever agents if that's how they like to relax or promote their authors.
But I'll say it made me a wreck. I think people look at agents talking to their clients on line, and think wow - I want to be one of those cool kids. But they forget that not everyone can be a cool kid. There's pecking order, there's favoritism, there's the anxiety of waiting to hear back from your agent on an email and seeing him or her chatting with other clients and ignoring you. (I'm not accusing my former agent of any of these things, but writers are generally neurotic. This is where our minds go.)
This time around I would much prefer an agent with little to no online presence. Tweeting to promote? No problem. Helpful blogs? Sure. But less is more. And also, agents who get fewer queries, need to spend less time reading slush. Less time reading slush means a more relaxed agent, and potentially more time for clients.
But that's just me. And I just thought I'd throw these thoughts out there for anyone reading.
Mornin', Pit
Interesting stuff, Octavia and good points, Ink.
Ink, I agree with you but, conceptually, I'd take a contrarian view. I agree there is the "cool kid" factor, but while I'd put sales up 1st, online presence would be up there for me, personally (but I can't speak for those who voted).
Why? Promotion. The pub houses promote fewer and fewer books. Authors are essentially on their own. If I had an agent with a big web presence, I'd want my book prominently displayed on her website, blog. I want her doing contests for the book. I want her talking about my book on twitter. Some of these agents have thousands of followers. Most are likely writers wanting to be pubbed. Maybe they'd buy my book because the agent is pushing it so much on her website/blog/twitter.
In otherwords, I'd like an agent with a good online presence so she can pimp my book.
Interesting stuff, Octavia and good points, Ink.
Ink, I agree with you but, conceptually, I'd take a contrarian view. I agree there is the "cool kid" factor, but while I'd put sales up 1st, online presence would be up there for me, personally (but I can't speak for those who voted).
Why? Promotion. The pub houses promote fewer and fewer books. Authors are essentially on their own. If I had an agent with a big web presence, I'd want my book prominently displayed on her website, blog. I want her doing contests for the book. I want her talking about my book on twitter. Some of these agents have thousands of followers. Most are likely writers wanting to be pubbed. Maybe they'd buy my book because the agent is pushing it so much on her website/blog/twitter.
In otherwords, I'd like an agent with a good online presence so she can pimp my book.
- Status