The Next Circle of Hell

Status
Not open for further replies.

Blondchen

Honey Badger don't give a shit.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 2, 2008
Messages
3,193
Reaction score
8,958
Location
Los Angeles
Website
www.gretchenmcneil.com
People who say they got signed with an agent in 2 weeks are generally full of shit. Sorry, they obviously say that to annoy people who are still out there fighting to get the sale or hired position, and to fluff their social status in the writing community. And frankly it becomes obvious when you read their stuff or see the show made from their script or whatever. I imagine someone went out there the first time and had agents fighting over their work *coughIsaacAsimovcough* but that's a very miraculous thing.

From query to four offers of representation and signing with my agent? 12 days.

It happens all the time. It can also take 12 months. It can also take 12 weeks.

There's no norm to this process and absolutely no way to compare your road to anyone else's.
 

Blondchen

Honey Badger don't give a shit.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 2, 2008
Messages
3,193
Reaction score
8,958
Location
Los Angeles
Website
www.gretchenmcneil.com
I only know the houses that have my ms. My agent redacts the names before sending any correspondence to me.

Probably a good thing cuz I'd go crazy twitter stalking.

I was the WORST EDITOR TWEET STALKER IN THE WORLD! Actually, it was even worse than that. I also stalked my statcounter.

I had HC hits on my blog three days in a row and my editor was tweeting about a submission she loved. Turns out it was mine and I got the revision request that day.

Okay. I'm probably not helping discourage anyone from web-stalking possible editors. Oops. :D
 
Last edited:

Miss Plum

Sockpuppet
Banned
Joined
Mar 2, 2009
Messages
1,570
Reaction score
187
Re the insta-agent debate, my oft-told story:

I got an offer of rep in ONE DAY. Yes, I e-mailed the query, got a request the same day for a partial, and the next day got a request for a phone call. They offered me rep without even reading the full manuscript.

I used the offer to nudge someone who had been sitting on my materials for four months, and wound up going with the four-month people.

Lotsa crazy stories out there.
 

Irysangel

She of Many Names
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 19, 2005
Messages
1,711
Reaction score
936
It took me 15 months of querying and two manuscripts before I got an offer. Then it took my first book another 16 months to sell.

As my agent likes to say, "Eyes on your own paper." You cannot compare your journey to anyone else's, because it is just crazymaking.
 

Dawn Schaefer

practical experience, FTW
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 19, 2010
Messages
1,319
Reaction score
699
Great - since I have nothing to do except sit in bed, I'm going on an editor hunt :)
 

suki

Opinionated
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 4, 2008
Messages
4,010
Reaction score
4,825
As my agent likes to say, "Eyes on your own paper."

Love this! Smart agent.

My agent, after sending me the final sub list and talking through all my questions, etc., advised me to forget I'd written a book, in fact to forget I knew how to read...

~suki
 

Calla Lily

On hiatus
Staff member
Super Moderator
Moderator
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
39,307
Reaction score
17,490
Location
Non carborundum illegitimi
Website
www.aliceloweecey.net
I didn't tweetstalk many editors--but only because most of them weren't on Twtter. :tongue But I'm telling you, right now I want to stalk my local F3d3x because the tracking update says my copyedits are sitting in their depot TWENTY MINUTES AWAY FROM MY HOUSE and I can't get them!

Patience... I haz it not.
 

inkspatters

The coordinates keep changing...
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 11, 2009
Messages
4,606
Reaction score
1,684
Location
Australia
So true. I'm just wondering how many grey hairs I'm going to get during this process! *gobbles oreos, refreshes twitter wildly*

Lol, I officially have my very first grey hair, and I'm blaming it on sub stress hahaha.

And I'm loving all the pearls of wisdom from people's agents :)
 
Last edited:

kellion92

A cat may not look at a king
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
5,245
Reaction score
4,613
Location
The edge
Ha, Inkspatters! You're a prodigy in all ways. But it's good to get gray hairs out of the way as a teenager. Then it's kind of funny instead of some sort of portent of impending decrepitude.
 

suki

Opinionated
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 4, 2008
Messages
4,010
Reaction score
4,825
I didn't tweetstalk many editors--but only because most of them weren't on Twtter. :tongue But I'm telling you, right now I want to stalk my local F3d3x because the tracking update says my copyedits are sitting in their depot TWENTY MINUTES AWAY FROM MY HOUSE and I can't get them!

Patience... I haz it not.

Oh, that is cruel.


Lol, I officially have my very first grey hair, and I'm blaming it on sub stress hahaha.

LOL

~suki
 

Sweet Tea

Gone to pee - don't touch my glass!
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 17, 2009
Messages
660
Reaction score
193
Location
in a Southern Gothic novel of a town
I already have gray hairs (but thanks to mahvelous colorist, it appears I haz none). So, can I blame sub stress for the reason I just bought 2 pounds of Reeses p'nut butter cups?
 

YAwriter

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 10, 2008
Messages
68
Reaction score
20
I feel your pain Sweet Tea. Since I went out on submission in June the chocolate has been flowing freely!
 

JennW

Hangin' with my writing peeps
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
1,244
Reaction score
3,766
Location
NJ
I feel your pain on the grey hair - though I blame those on my kids.

The 10lbs I put on this year though - most def blame that on being on sub.

Speaking of which. Just heard from my agent. One more pass and we're going on sub on Thurs. Eek!
 

triceretops

Banned
Flounced
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
14,060
Reaction score
2,755
Location
In a van down by the river
Website
guerrillawarfareforwriters.blogspot.com
Took me 2.5 months to get my new agent, but that was after over 450 subs. I did get 4.5 offers which allowed me to choose, but it was hell anyway you look at it.

Just sent off 135 ARC press releases to the major media. That means I have three months to send out the rest (individually), which comes to 1,420 more. Ack. I have cut and paste syndrome, with eyes crossed and a headache.

I forget who it was when I told a big agent or editor that I wanted to be a writer, over 23 years ago. That person said, "Go into a dark room, take some Aspirin, lay down and wait for the feeling to pass."

I should have taken that advice.

My ex-girlfriend, who is VP at 20th Century Fox, just asked for a review copy of my book. That was after I threatened to show up on her front door if she didn't ask for one and show it around. Ya see, I still got that ole romantic touch, me does.

Tri
 

JennW

Hangin' with my writing peeps
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
1,244
Reaction score
3,766
Location
NJ
Tri - good luck!
 

kellion92

A cat may not look at a king
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
5,245
Reaction score
4,613
Location
The edge
Good luck, Tri! You're a hard worker and obviously a smooth talker too.
 

HappyCamper

I lurk, therefore I am
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 23, 2009
Messages
978
Reaction score
712
Location
at the corner of glee and dread
Hi all! My photo shoot for the author pic was surprisingly painless. Will post pics as soon as I have them :)

Thanks! I'm not sure if I told you guys but I had surgery this week and am a little drugged up. So forgive me if I ramble.

Feel better!

dawn... hoping you feel better soon!

Editor with my ms just tweeted she's reading manuscripts today. *gulp*

I'm probably at the bottom of the pile, anyway.

Is it just me, or does it seem like all the editors had conferences over the weekend?

Good luck!

Re the insta-agent debate, my oft-told story:

I got an offer of rep in ONE DAY. Yes, I e-mailed the query, got a request the same day for a partial, and the next day got a request for a phone call. They offered me rep without even reading the full manuscript.

I used the offer to nudge someone who had been sitting on my materials for four months, and wound up going with the four-month people.

Lotsa crazy stories out there.

Your story is similar to mine. My agent read my read my full MS the day I sent it and made an offer the next morning. :)

Love this! Smart agent.

My agent, after sending me the final sub list and talking through all my questions, etc., advised me to forget I'd written a book, in fact to forget I knew how to read...

~suki

Love that advice! LOL!

I didn't tweetstalk many editors--but only because most of them weren't on Twtter. :tongue But I'm telling you, right now I want to stalk my local F3d3x because the tracking update says my copyedits are sitting in their depot TWENTY MINUTES AWAY FROM MY HOUSE and I can't get them!

Patience... I haz it not.

Soooooo exciting!!!!

Took me 2.5 months to get my new agent, but that was after over 450 subs. I did get 4.5 offers which allowed me to choose, but it was hell anyway you look at it.

Just sent off 135 ARC press releases to the major media. That means I have three months to send out the rest (individually), which comes to 1,420 more. Ack. I have cut and paste syndrome, with eyes crossed and a headache.

I forget who it was when I told a big agent or editor that I wanted to be a writer, over 23 years ago. That person said, "Go into a dark room, take some Aspirin, lay down and wait for the feeling to pass."

I should have taken that advice.

My ex-girlfriend, who is VP at 20th Century Fox, just asked for a review copy of my book. That was after I threatened to show up on her front door if she didn't ask for one and show it around. Ya see, I still got that ole romantic touch, me does.

Tri

Good luck!
 
Last edited:

Miss Plum

Sockpuppet
Banned
Joined
Mar 2, 2009
Messages
1,570
Reaction score
187
Hi all! My photo shoot for the author pic was surprising painless. Will post pics as soon as I have them :)

No, no! Post 'em sooner!

Really, tell us what it was like. Did they do stuff with your hair? Tell you to "think of nothing"? Make you sit in a wing-back chair and look intriguing?
 

HappyCamper

I lurk, therefore I am
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 23, 2009
Messages
978
Reaction score
712
Location
at the corner of glee and dread
No, no! Post 'em sooner!

Really, tell us what it was like. Did they do stuff with your hair? Tell you to "think of nothing"? Make you sit in a wing-back chair and look intriguing?

Haha! It was quite timely that Nathan Bransford posted a link on his blog to an article about cliche author poses the day I had my shoot. I made it a point to steer clear of everything they listed there!

I had my hair and makeup done but it wasn't anything too fancy. I told the makeup artist I just wanted to look like myself on an extremely (!) good day ;) She used an airbrush to do the makeup which I thought was rather neat!

I was lucky enough to get a photographer who was really great at making me relax. We did the shoot in a garden. The hardest part was trying not to melt in the sun! We did a few options: standard smiling at the camera, a "serious" look (which I TOTALLY botched since I kept smiling), candid shots as I chatted with someone off camera. My hubby and friends who were at the shoot actually liked the "candid" smiling shots best.

Since my day was packed, I didn't have time to get the makeup off and wound up looking like an overdone goofball (complete with false eyelashes) while shuttling my kids to swimming class and a bowling party after the shoot. Oh well...:D
 

cspradbery

Best before 1998
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 25, 2010
Messages
234
Reaction score
36
Location
Hampshire, UK
*pokes head around door*

Hello! I think I might be about ready to join you all in here, if you'll have me? :D

My agent emailed me this morning to say she is happy with my edits and thinks we are just about ready to go on sub... Just sent her back the MS with a couple of small typos and waiting to hear back.

Is it normal to be FREAKING THE HELL OUT at this point?

Carla
 

kellion92

A cat may not look at a king
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
5,245
Reaction score
4,613
Location
The edge
Welcome, Carla! HC, I can't wait for the photos. And good luck, JennW. But you shouldn't use the word "pass" and "sub" in the same sentence if you can help it :)

I gained five pounds during my sub and it won't go away. Next time, I won't mind gaining another five pounds if I actually sell the book. Maybe next time I'll be one of those people who loses her appetite instead of gaining one.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.