Love/Hate...Thursday

Psht, who forgot to schedule a post; Thursday is SO the next Wednesday. Wednesday was SO last week. ;)

LOVE

Original questions on The Call

For the first time ever someone asked me on The Call to offer representation: so, what do you do when you're not an agent? I want to know more about you!

Which led to a fabulous conversation bonding over Catan and cutthroat board games.

I know it's a business relationship - but so many of what agents do is standard, you really do want to find the perfect working relationship for YOU! I might also suggest asking: what do you like about being an agent? Do you also write? Do you watch Doctor Who? What's your favorite non-client (or childhood) book?

Think about what kind of relationship you'd want with an agent, and be sure to ask questions to feel out if that's how it would be!


HATE

The same boring questions on The Call.

I get it, I get it; they're necessary. If an agent DOES deviate from the standard answers on a call, definitely could be a red flag. I don't mind answering at all - heck, just having the darn questions to ask can ease nerves and kindle a conversation. On both sides, I should add - I have been totally fan-girl ramble-y on representation calls.

But for the record...

Yes, we have an agency agreement with the standard 15% and not book-by-book, I'm career-minded for clients, I submit in rounds, I am a more hands-on editorial agent, I prefer email as I'm an emailaholic but of course I'm always free for phone, I do share submission lists and news as it comes in, and am always available for questions and check-ins, I check in on submissions monthly, yes, I'm open to authors branching off into different genres, though it's a career discussion, yes, feel free to reach out to my current clients, I save specific editorial notes and submission plans for my clients, though I can tell you generally XYZ, yes, we have a fabulously amazing foreign rights agents, and I handle audio and film and other sub rights and I don't have an assistant.

(For more info, this post is a pretty comprehensive guide to The Call and agent etiquette)

Love/Hate Wednesday

Yes, I totally missed the last love/hate Wednesday. I meant to schedule one in advance, I swear, but...I didn't, and did this instead:

LOVE

Leaving books in tiny hotel libraries on vacation! (Because every library should have a heaving bosoms novel.)

Author tip: going on vacation? Bring your book with you and leave one for foreign travelers to enjoy! You might just gain a reader.

HATE

Feeling behind on reading and responses. AGAIN. (Does that EVER go away?)