Learning from Russell Crowe ...
I loved Gladiator, so I suppose I should embrace this experience in the Collesium.
First, of course it always isn't about me. But, in theory, it should be about the subject
of the query, not some neighboring idea that pops into one's head that stimulates one to
write. As a poetry editor said to me once: "focus ... its the hardest thing
in writing." So even here, resisting the urge to just flail back at the Romans, in
a little bit I will add useful info to the discussion.
Another friend (actually the father of a childhood friend), who has published 3 books
thinks that 5 months is unreasonably long. Sure, I can sit and wait ... but 5 months
is indicative of 99% death. As he said, the passion for the manuscript is most
certainly gone, and it is highly unlikely that the agent will recover it. He then
tried to help. He tried discussing it with HIS publisher. My friend came back
to me with three suggestions. One of these suggestions was: "Have you tried
finding out who the agent's executive assistant is, cozing up to him/her, and getting a
feeling for the agent's work habits? Perhaps the agent has been on holiday." (An English
publisher.)
This answer was 1)very helpful, and 2)a perfect response to the question I asked.
I didn't include it for fear of biasing the discussion. But I include it now to move
things along.
Another suggestion the publisher had was to contact the agent, let him know that I've
revised the manuscript, and ask if he wants a new copy. Again, practical and doable.
I pass these on if others of you are in the same hole I am in.
As for the other fine comments, I again simply say "focus". I don't know what your goals are.
Perhaps it is to write and appear expert on a bulletin board. My goals are to produce
manuscripts that agents want to represent and to find strategies to herd these agents
to actually sit down with these manuscripts and read them. A discussion
of how an agent works, regardless of how erudite and detailed, which does not provide practical
steps describing how to inject my work into their work process does not provide energy
toward my goal. And it did not provide energy to my question. I know how to imagine things too.
Doing is the bigger problem.
Finally, I did forget how writers like to write, sometimes even when the writing drives them
far into the weeds. To that oversight, I point at myself and say "DUH!". Expecting answers
that were all concise and to the point was a naive mistake. There is Hamlet, and then
there is The Wasteland. People write what they want to write. I made a mistake. I reacted impulsively after a long day. That was wrong. I apologize.
Bring on the tigers.
R.