THE CALL.

Chocolate. It helps everything.

Congrats! Can't say I've been there but "I love this" is a great way for them to start the conversation, so remember that.

Madison said:

So. Advice. What do you guys to do calm down, breathe, wait? (And what was your Call like?) I feel ready. I have questions (lots) and intelligent things to say. But I am EXCITED and SCARED and... I'm obsessively checking email/phone, and now I will obsessively check this thread. Maybe it'll distract me. Help me, people!

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Rescue Remedy. No lie. It's amazing. I don't know what it is, but it works. And I'm not even very New Age-y. You can get it at any health store usually, or those fancypants green grocer's.

And don't worry. You can't screw up the call. I mean, you can, but you'd really have to try. Just enjoy the mania. And get some Rescue Remedy to take the edge off.

First, you burn off the extra energy with copious amounts of Snoppy dancing.

Then, find anything you can to distract yourself. Put an Ipod in your ears on high volume and work on that paper, go to a movie, anything so you don't go nuts.

You might want to check a couple of agent blogs for a few recommended questions.

And CONGRATS! You're entitled to excitement.

I forgot to say congratulations, by the way.

I hope it all goes well for you. Just be natural, and I'm certain it'll go fine.

Relax.

Madison said:

What do you guys to do calm down, breathe, wait?

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Just keep working on your next novel.

Congrats! Celebrate! Pat yourself on the back and keep reminding yourself that this agent wants to work for you. He or she stands to make money off your work. It often feels like the opposite, but you actually hold the cards here. Be super confident and that will come through.

And best of luck!!!!

"Hello?"
"Hi, it's your agent. Let's have that conversation about your wonderful manuscript."
"GOYYYaaahhhhhhhhh HEHEHE! MWAHDWEBLLLLBBBRRRRR"

I'm sure they've heard it all before. They've taken on first time authors before who were equally as excited as you are. I personally wouldn't worry about whether you come across as excited or downright goofy. Eventually, you'll snap out of it, like they know you will.

Edit: Oh and congrats by the way! I wish I were in your shoes ^_^

I had no warning. The Call came at 7 pm and I saw on caller ID who it was. I took a deep breath...and forgot everything I knew to ask.

But guess what? The agents know how it is. And they can be nervous too. They want this to click.

So--carrying around a list of questions to ask. Put it in your pocket. Put copies by all phones if you're using landlines.

Anyway, this is great news!

Madison said:

So. Advice. What do you guys to do calm down, breathe, wait? (And what was your Call like?)

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Oh man, I got nothin'! I paced a lot and drove my family crazy. I sold directly to a publisher and the call went something like this.
'Have a glass of wine and celebrate, we're publishing your novel. We went to committee and it was unanimous.'
Hopefully the call will come for you soon.

Make notes of what you need to ask, because otherwise it will all fly out of your head.

Redzilla said:

Make notes of what you need to ask, because otherwise it will all fly out of your head.

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Yep, and as I said, carry the notes with you or put them by all the landline phones. My notes were somewhere else in the house and I was too excited, nervous, whatever, to go look for them.

Relax -it's the Agent who wants to talk to you. And they'll have done this many times. If you act like your normal self and be natural you'll do fine. I wouldn't want to speak to a robot stranger who rattled off a list of questions - I'd want to feel some connection on a personal level. Be yourself.

Congrats! Go dance the dance of joy! If I were you, I'd never be able to get my work done. Nope concentration would be impossible.

Let us know how it goes. Meanwhile, as anonymouswriter said, have some chocolate.

Wow congrats, I have never been published but when I need to calm down I indulged in my very bad habit of chain smoking lol. I wouldn't suggest that means but I would suggest going out to celebrate, put on some great music and work on your next novel, I agree with one of the above comments and eat chocolate. Really just distract yourself. If you can find anything to distract yourself, I agree with putting your excitment to use and writing down the questions you might have. They have done this before and they know you are a newbie so no question is a dumb one!

Don't let yourself get too excited. I was in EXACTLY your shoes a couple years ago, and, well, my icon isn't the cover of a book. Easier said than done, I know. Just try not to think about it.

Good luck.

This is why we come to this place, to hear good news like yours. Congrats, it only gets better from here out.

As for advice to calm down--why would you want to calm down?

And the paper? Pffft. You just finished THE paper, kiddo.

Enjoy the rush.

Congrats! I'm sure it's exciting. Let us know how it goes.

Remember, after they call, if you do hit the button on the "Cone of Silence" in order to celebrate the best moment of your writing life, make sure the Cone actually works. Otherwise... well, look what happened to Agent 86.

I know precisely how you feel. But I've learned that there are more twists and turns here than I would previously have anticipated. I spent an entire week totally unable to concentrate, write, or calm down. Go exercise, that would be my best suggestion for letting off tension. Write down your questions and keep them with you. Also, do some independent research on your potential agent. Get a month's subscription to Publisher's Marketplace so you can check out deal information etc. and then cancel it before they can charge you more than $20. That information is definitely worth it. Also, google them and find out as much as you can - I found a lot of agent information right here on AW. Redirecting the energy into research and/or exercise was the best thing for me.

Madison said:

Yep, I'm going to get The Call sometime in the next two days: this agent who has my full emailed me on Saturday with a message that basically said "I love this. Let's talk."

And it might come now, like this very second, or later today... or tomorrow... and I cannot concentrate. I can barely breathe. I have a paper due tomorrow and literally, it might not happen.

So. Advice. What do you guys to do calm down, breathe, wait? (And what was your Call like?) I feel ready. I have questions (lots) and intelligent things to say. But I am EXCITED and SCARED and... I'm obsessively checking email/phone, and now I will obsessively check this thread. Maybe it'll distract me. Help me, people!

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It's easy to forget that if an agent wants to represent you, they want to sell themselves to you as well. Some of the call will probably be a conversation about the agency. An important question to ask is what he/she is thinking in terms of revisions. Good luck!

How fantastic. I'd say getting to work on that paper could be a good distraction, but I don't blame you for being excitable. Good luck!