changing agents
I have had a LOT of writer friends ask my advice about agents over the last couple of years. And I've talked about my agent with other writers plenty. I thought it might be useful to mention some of my thoughts here. Even if you don't have an agent at this point, it is something to think about while you query agents.
Here is the inevitable complaint:
I am thinking of changing agents because my agent is always telling me that s/he hates a project that I love.
It boils down pretty simply to this one complaint. And yes, I know what this feels like. I've had my agent tell me that he really dislikes certain projects of mine that I was/am in love with. I don't always agree with him, although honestly, after so many years, I trust him a LOT to know when I have a project that either isn't marketable or is just plain not living up to my vision of it in my head.
That said, there are many, many occasions on which your agent will disagree with you about whether or not your next book is ready to be submitted. I have the same advice for every author I talk to about this. Your relationship with your agent needs to be the kind of relationship where your agent believes that you trust him/her almost absolutely. You must make sure you listen carefully to all your agent's comments. You must try to address them. And then, if you still disagree, you must have the kind of relationship with your agent where you can say, I want you to submit this anyway. You have to be strong enough to do that. I honestly think after listening to so many authors complain about this that the problem isn't on the agent's side as much as it is on the author's.
Here are the reasons I think you should fire an agent:
1. Agent is not submitting your manuscripts to anyone or will not tell you who they are submitting to (usually the same thing).
2. Agent will not respond to phone calls or emails.
3. Agent does not send you your money.
Yup, that's pretty much it. OK, I will add one more:
4. Agent is a jackass and am embarrassment in public.
Now, for those of you looking for agents, listen to this:
Finding an agent is getting married. This is not an exaggeration. It's not even an analogy. It is literal. You will produce books with this other person. Those books will forever be shared between you. Do not sign with an agent lightly! But once you are with an agent, you should have a really, really good reason for leaving the agent. Not just--we grew apart.
Because, really, when I hear people talk about leaving a spouse, I feel the same way. It's not the spouse, it's you. And guess what? These authors, just like people who get divorced, discover frequently when they get married again, that they simply have the same problems all over. Because it wasn't the other person.
You know you've heard exes talk about each other in way that makes you want to hit them both over the head. It was *all* the other person's fault. Only you know it wasn't because you've heard both sides of the story.
Here is the inevitable complaint:
I am thinking of changing agents because my agent is always telling me that s/he hates a project that I love.
It boils down pretty simply to this one complaint. And yes, I know what this feels like. I've had my agent tell me that he really dislikes certain projects of mine that I was/am in love with. I don't always agree with him, although honestly, after so many years, I trust him a LOT to know when I have a project that either isn't marketable or is just plain not living up to my vision of it in my head.
That said, there are many, many occasions on which your agent will disagree with you about whether or not your next book is ready to be submitted. I have the same advice for every author I talk to about this. Your relationship with your agent needs to be the kind of relationship where your agent believes that you trust him/her almost absolutely. You must make sure you listen carefully to all your agent's comments. You must try to address them. And then, if you still disagree, you must have the kind of relationship with your agent where you can say, I want you to submit this anyway. You have to be strong enough to do that. I honestly think after listening to so many authors complain about this that the problem isn't on the agent's side as much as it is on the author's.
Here are the reasons I think you should fire an agent:
1. Agent is not submitting your manuscripts to anyone or will not tell you who they are submitting to (usually the same thing).
2. Agent will not respond to phone calls or emails.
3. Agent does not send you your money.
Yup, that's pretty much it. OK, I will add one more:
4. Agent is a jackass and am embarrassment in public.
Now, for those of you looking for agents, listen to this:
Finding an agent is getting married. This is not an exaggeration. It's not even an analogy. It is literal. You will produce books with this other person. Those books will forever be shared between you. Do not sign with an agent lightly! But once you are with an agent, you should have a really, really good reason for leaving the agent. Not just--we grew apart.
Because, really, when I hear people talk about leaving a spouse, I feel the same way. It's not the spouse, it's you. And guess what? These authors, just like people who get divorced, discover frequently when they get married again, that they simply have the same problems all over. Because it wasn't the other person.
You know you've heard exes talk about each other in way that makes you want to hit them both over the head. It was *all* the other person's fault. Only you know it wasn't because you've heard both sides of the story.
Published on March 08, 2011 21:30
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