And mostly, tell you about this fabulously stupendous thing that's happened to me. I'll tell you the same way I told my parents ... I got an agent, y'all.
Here's how it happened:
OCT. 24: I see a post advertising that FinePrint Literary (one of my DREAM agencies) has a new agent. Ms. Becky Vinter. When I read she is in the market for YA with STRONG FEMALE PROTAGONISTS - I am stoked! That's me! I wrote one of those!!
I then proceed to internet stalk her - looking for posts, twitterfeeds, facebooks, interviews, other authors repped, query preferences - all that. I am a quality stalker folks. Part of my day job requires me to be able to track down people and info constantly. I take creeping beyond the amateur levels. :)
Stalking completed, I give my MS a read-through, nit-pick my query and prep my submission.
OCT. 25: I query Becky Vinter and enter her info into my "Submissions Guide" where I track what I have sent to who and when, as well as appropriate follow up, contact info, timeframes, etc. At the time, I had an offer on the table from a small boutique press. But I wanted an agent. Really, really, really wanted an agent. So I had asked them to wait while I finished up a few queries. (They totally worked with me and were uber-professional, so if you're worried about that, don't be. If they give you a hard time about wanting an agent, you may want to take a second look at the press.) I was really excited about Becky and thought we could be a good fit.
OCT. 31: I get a reply form Becky! She doesn't want to rep me!
Wait. What? Yep. She liked my premise and my voice, but a few things just didn't work for her. Then she did the best thing an agent had EVER done for me to that point. She told me what they were, even gave me a detailed list of elements that just weren't working. What an amazing agent. She prioritized my MS because I had a (small) offer on the table, then gave me her honest opinion in a neat, bulleted list I could actually use to fix things. She had taken time out of her busy schedule to give me a little personal attention and some feedback. I emailed her to say thank you immediately and asked a few follow up questions. She emailed me back, answered my questions and wished me luck. I really liked her. I emailed the small press and told them I could not accept their offer at this time because I had received revisions I knew the story needed and still wished to secure an agent. I apologized and they were great about it - they told me to resubmit when I was ready and they'd take another look. I turned back to the notes.
What was glorious and horrifying about this was the list reflected all of my deepest, darkest fears about the MS. Every niggling doubt I had, every little voice telling me I'm a hack, had focused on the things she mentioned. I was right to worry about those things, and she was right they needed fixing.
Then, she said she'd take a second look if I could fix those things.
Could I?
You're d@mn right I could.
So I wrote each item she had sent me on a separate piece of paper. Then I brainstormed. I ruminated. I mused. Until I had a list of ideas to fix everything she had mentioned. I researched more articles on revisions. (The most helpful for getting me mentally ready, btw is here.)
Then I sent it to my crit partner and encouraged her to tear it to shreds. Then I built it back up, polished and worked harder.
The changes were good. Really, really good. I forced myself to let it sit for a week. Then I reread it again. And again. I read it out loud. I found a text-to-speech program and let it read the MS to me so I could just listen. (Highly suggested technique - really slowed me down and forced me to examine the words.
DEC 16: I sent the revised full MS to Becky, thanking her again for the time she had spent on me. She emailed back saying she was swamped and it would take her a few weeks, but she was looking forward to reading it. (Boo-yah.)
Then I waited. Forever. And ever and ever. Okay, not really. Two and a half months in the middle of the holidays is not that long at all. But it feels like forever when you're hoping someone will like you (be it romantically or professionally). Am I right?
FEB 1: Becky emails me to say she loved the story and wanted to know if I was available to talk over some suggestions/ideas on the phone.
Oh, I am SO totally available for that.
I was excited - no agent calls you to tell you your books sucks and you should go back to your day job nowish. They're just not that mean. But I was terrified. What if she just wanted to say, "Hey, here's some more useful suggestions, but this just isn't the right fit for me? Well - at least there'd be some more feedback. And I'd already dealt with plenty of rejection.
FEB 2: I LOVE GROUNDHOG'S DAY!! (Not just because of what I'm about to tell you, I really do. It's a great holiday, no fuss, no muss, no traffic, no shopping ...)
I talked to Becky on the phone. A real live agent, from an awesome agency, talked to me on the phone about my book! She loved my MC, the love story, my voice - she got what I was trying to do with the story. It was incredible. I can't tell you how incredible. I can tell you it was early in the morning, I was on my first cup of coffee and had already thrown up from nerves. Beyond feeling dazed by what was happening and severely under-caffeinated, I am afraid I didn't show the proper amount of enthusiasm on the phone - I mean I was excited and happy and I think I said the right things, but I can't really remember what they were. (So, Becky, if you're reading this, I was completely ecstatic on the inside!) On the other hand, at least I didn't shout into the phone or squeal or anything.
She told me there were still some things that she felt needed adjustment, but she wasn't going to ask me to revise again. She was going to send me her notes and then wanted me to provide feedback. If we were on the same page, she wanted to offer representation.
I was thrilled! I was over the moon! I was ... confused. How did one provide feedback on an agent's notes? How was I going to prove I could do this without *actually* doing it?
I'd figure it out, I told myself. She was giving me a shot and I was going to take it or go down swinging. Determination in place, I set about waiting for the notes. It was excruciating. What would she like? What still needed fixed? I had this incredible NEED to work on my MS immediately, but couldn't until I saw what she had to say. If I had thought I was a compulsive email checker before, this sent me in to overdrive. I would bargain with myself. Just finish the dishes and you can check your email again. Just make it until your ten thirty break and you can check your email. Etc.
FEB. 21: The notes arrive in my inbox! Again, filled with crushingly insightful feedback. Just reading through it, I can see where my MS needs to go, the things I missed, the additions and subtractions - I just *feel* it. I email her back to tell her I got them and they resonate. I promise to send her feedback in a week.
Then I print out the notes and read them. Over and over, until almost every word is memorized. I love the suggestions - but I have NO idea how to start or what to send her when I'm through.
So, I did what would I would do anyway. I put each note on a separate page and brainstorm how to fix it. I went through her email, answered her questions and filled in backstory, motivation, plot arcs for the next few books, world building - whatever I thought was pertinent to the subject. Then I worked through my MS, making notations of how I would work things in for each chapter - even where I would just double check for consistency, etc. What I ended up with was a 21 page outline of my answers to her questions and a chapter by chapter breakdown of what would change.
FEB 29: And I sent it to her. She emailed me to let me know she had received my notes, was excited to read it - as was her intern - and set up a call for Friday (March 2). That night I was beside myself - all fingers and toes crossed, wishing, praying, hoping - and waiting.
MARCH 1: Becky emails me. SHE WANTS TO OFFER ME REPRESENTATION!! WOOHOO!! Let the happy dancing commence!!
MARCH 2: We talked, I asked questions about the agreement and her style, we discussed the timeline for the revisions - and we talked about my story! There is nothing so sublime as talking to a professional about characters and worlds you made up, hearing them be enthusiastic, their own love for the characters ... I'm tearing up right now. It was great.
MARCH 20: I had the signed agreement and Becky told me I wasn't allowed to break up with her now. Yes, ma'am. :)
Now, I'm revising. And hoping some publisher will love me. You know, trying to get published is like trying to date a group of people at the same time - including the awkward meeting, flirting approach where you try to get them interested in you.
Revisions are going well. I'm in love with my story all over again. And I'm keeping all my toes crossed (I need my fingers to type) that I keep being so lucky.
Last words of advice? Never give up. Never surrender. Just work harder. And be patient - it always takes longer than you think.
OCT. 24: I see a post advertising that FinePrint Literary (one of my DREAM agencies) has a new agent. Ms. Becky Vinter. When I read she is in the market for YA with STRONG FEMALE PROTAGONISTS - I am stoked! That's me! I wrote one of those!!
(No, I didn't write that strong, female protag. I just like her as an example.)
I then proceed to internet stalk her - looking for posts, twitterfeeds, facebooks, interviews, other authors repped, query preferences - all that. I am a quality stalker folks. Part of my day job requires me to be able to track down people and info constantly. I take creeping beyond the amateur levels. :)
Stalking completed, I give my MS a read-through, nit-pick my query and prep my submission.
OCT. 25: I query Becky Vinter and enter her info into my "Submissions Guide" where I track what I have sent to who and when, as well as appropriate follow up, contact info, timeframes, etc. At the time, I had an offer on the table from a small boutique press. But I wanted an agent. Really, really, really wanted an agent. So I had asked them to wait while I finished up a few queries. (They totally worked with me and were uber-professional, so if you're worried about that, don't be. If they give you a hard time about wanting an agent, you may want to take a second look at the press.) I was really excited about Becky and thought we could be a good fit.
OCT. 31: I get a reply form Becky! She doesn't want to rep me!
OH NO!
Wait. What? Yep. She liked my premise and my voice, but a few things just didn't work for her. Then she did the best thing an agent had EVER done for me to that point. She told me what they were, even gave me a detailed list of elements that just weren't working. What an amazing agent. She prioritized my MS because I had a (small) offer on the table, then gave me her honest opinion in a neat, bulleted list I could actually use to fix things. She had taken time out of her busy schedule to give me a little personal attention and some feedback. I emailed her to say thank you immediately and asked a few follow up questions. She emailed me back, answered my questions and wished me luck. I really liked her. I emailed the small press and told them I could not accept their offer at this time because I had received revisions I knew the story needed and still wished to secure an agent. I apologized and they were great about it - they told me to resubmit when I was ready and they'd take another look. I turned back to the notes.
What was glorious and horrifying about this was the list reflected all of my deepest, darkest fears about the MS. Every niggling doubt I had, every little voice telling me I'm a hack, had focused on the things she mentioned. I was right to worry about those things, and she was right they needed fixing.
Then, she said she'd take a second look if I could fix those things.
Could I?
You're d@mn right I could.
So I wrote each item she had sent me on a separate piece of paper. Then I brainstormed. I ruminated. I mused. Until I had a list of ideas to fix everything she had mentioned. I researched more articles on revisions. (The most helpful for getting me mentally ready, btw is here.)
Then I sent it to my crit partner and encouraged her to tear it to shreds. Then I built it back up, polished and worked harder.
The changes were good. Really, really good. I forced myself to let it sit for a week. Then I reread it again. And again. I read it out loud. I found a text-to-speech program and let it read the MS to me so I could just listen. (Highly suggested technique - really slowed me down and forced me to examine the words.
DEC 16: I sent the revised full MS to Becky, thanking her again for the time she had spent on me. She emailed back saying she was swamped and it would take her a few weeks, but she was looking forward to reading it. (Boo-yah.)
Then I waited. Forever. And ever and ever. Okay, not really. Two and a half months in the middle of the holidays is not that long at all. But it feels like forever when you're hoping someone will like you (be it romantically or professionally). Am I right?
(Waiting. Waiting. Oh please, oh please, please, please. Waiting.)
FEB 1: Becky emails me to say she loved the story and wanted to know if I was available to talk over some suggestions/ideas on the phone.
Oh, I am SO totally available for that.
I was excited - no agent calls you to tell you your books sucks and you should go back to your day job nowish. They're just not that mean. But I was terrified. What if she just wanted to say, "Hey, here's some more useful suggestions, but this just isn't the right fit for me? Well - at least there'd be some more feedback. And I'd already dealt with plenty of rejection.
FEB 2: I LOVE GROUNDHOG'S DAY!! (Not just because of what I'm about to tell you, I really do. It's a great holiday, no fuss, no muss, no traffic, no shopping ...)
I talked to Becky on the phone. A real live agent, from an awesome agency, talked to me on the phone about my book! She loved my MC, the love story, my voice - she got what I was trying to do with the story. It was incredible. I can't tell you how incredible. I can tell you it was early in the morning, I was on my first cup of coffee and had already thrown up from nerves. Beyond feeling dazed by what was happening and severely under-caffeinated, I am afraid I didn't show the proper amount of enthusiasm on the phone - I mean I was excited and happy and I think I said the right things, but I can't really remember what they were. (So, Becky, if you're reading this, I was completely ecstatic on the inside!) On the other hand, at least I didn't shout into the phone or squeal or anything.
She told me there were still some things that she felt needed adjustment, but she wasn't going to ask me to revise again. She was going to send me her notes and then wanted me to provide feedback. If we were on the same page, she wanted to offer representation.
I was thrilled! I was over the moon! I was ... confused. How did one provide feedback on an agent's notes? How was I going to prove I could do this without *actually* doing it?
I'd figure it out, I told myself. She was giving me a shot and I was going to take it or go down swinging. Determination in place, I set about waiting for the notes. It was excruciating. What would she like? What still needed fixed? I had this incredible NEED to work on my MS immediately, but couldn't until I saw what she had to say. If I had thought I was a compulsive email checker before, this sent me in to overdrive. I would bargain with myself. Just finish the dishes and you can check your email again. Just make it until your ten thirty break and you can check your email. Etc.
FEB. 21: The notes arrive in my inbox! Again, filled with crushingly insightful feedback. Just reading through it, I can see where my MS needs to go, the things I missed, the additions and subtractions - I just *feel* it. I email her back to tell her I got them and they resonate. I promise to send her feedback in a week.
Then I print out the notes and read them. Over and over, until almost every word is memorized. I love the suggestions - but I have NO idea how to start or what to send her when I'm through.
So, I did what would I would do anyway. I put each note on a separate page and brainstorm how to fix it. I went through her email, answered her questions and filled in backstory, motivation, plot arcs for the next few books, world building - whatever I thought was pertinent to the subject. Then I worked through my MS, making notations of how I would work things in for each chapter - even where I would just double check for consistency, etc. What I ended up with was a 21 page outline of my answers to her questions and a chapter by chapter breakdown of what would change.
FEB 29: And I sent it to her. She emailed me to let me know she had received my notes, was excited to read it - as was her intern - and set up a call for Friday (March 2). That night I was beside myself - all fingers and toes crossed, wishing, praying, hoping - and waiting.
MARCH 1: Becky emails me. SHE WANTS TO OFFER ME REPRESENTATION!! WOOHOO!! Let the happy dancing commence!!
MARCH 2: We talked, I asked questions about the agreement and her style, we discussed the timeline for the revisions - and we talked about my story! There is nothing so sublime as talking to a professional about characters and worlds you made up, hearing them be enthusiastic, their own love for the characters ... I'm tearing up right now. It was great.
MARCH 20: I had the signed agreement and Becky told me I wasn't allowed to break up with her now. Yes, ma'am. :)
Now, I'm revising. And hoping some publisher will love me. You know, trying to get published is like trying to date a group of people at the same time - including the awkward meeting, flirting approach where you try to get them interested in you.
Revisions are going well. I'm in love with my story all over again. And I'm keeping all my toes crossed (I need my fingers to type) that I keep being so lucky.
Last words of advice? Never give up. Never surrender. Just work harder. And be patient - it always takes longer than you think.
