The Not So Secret Agent: How to Hook a Literary Agent
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ส.ค. 2024
- Please note my name has since changed to Sarah Hornsley. I'm a literary agent at the Bent Agency in the U.K. and am committed to building bestsellers. I represent adult fiction, non-fiction and YA.
In this Vlog I talk a bit about the overall submissions process and give you my top tips for how to stand out in the slush pile!
You can find out more about me and what I am looking for here:
www.thebentagen...
Twitter: @SarahManning123
Subscribe now to make sure you don't miss out on my next video!
Fun fact: An agent's opinion doesn't really represent the general population's interests. There are many well known books that were rejected numerous times by renowned agents and are now best-sellers. So if you think that an agent's opinion validate the quality of your work, prepare yourself to be torn appart. Because many of them become agents through connections and they are just there fill in the blanks.
RVD TV - Correct. What's also interesting is the sheer volume submitted. I'm not sure how anyone could go through submissions and judge everything with a fair, impartial eye. Some dude who spends three months on a crap novel gets thrown into the same inbox as the guy who sweats three years trying to perfect his work. When in doubt I just think about successes in the past who were rejected: th-cam.com/video/tOEFUE1BA-0/w-d-xo.html
Very true.
One of my favorite stories was how many rejections Jean Aurel got for Clan of the Cave Bear. She was trying to sell that when agents wanted to represent Danielle Steel. (Manuscripts got accepted because the writer found a way to type Gucci 19 times in the first chapter)
Many of the agents are MFA holders, tried writing , failed and became agents ....Editing and story telling are different things....
"Dear William, We read your manuscript 'Hamlet' with great interest. It's a good read! However......."
I get really nice rejections like this from literary agents. LOL Sadly, a nice rejection is still a rejection.
@@sarakjeldsen769 online publishing will eventually make agents and publishers obsolete. That's sad, because the art of rejection letter writing will be lost.
We do not publish a play. Ever heard of the Globe Theatre?
@Danny Holland "and remember, no clichés....."
Wonder if Fitzgerald had to deal with these mediocre bs.
Well the fact that you have specified speculative fiction on your profile has rocketed you to the top of my list for when my book is finished, because GOD DAMN spec fic, particularly cyberpunk gets no love in the literary world.
Love your videos, they are incredibly useful, I hope you make more!
You should be hearing from me soon, just need another 80,000 words, give or take 40,000!
Did you end up getting published?
Great job providing a bit of insight on what YOU might be looking for when considering possible clients via their submissions. You'd be surprised how many videos have trouble doing that. Continue to provide your own personal touch, it matters.
Nice to hear you're at The Bent Agency now. I hope things go very well for you there.
ok yes i agre e
Thank you, Sarah!
I am reworking my query letters now.
Is it rare for an agency to request your full manuscript, meet to talk about publishers and representation and then call up a week later to withdraw interest? A young man I know went through that experience and it wrecked him in many ways.
That sounds horrible. Maybe it could have been that they only read partly through, then read the whole thing and changed their mind. It would be worth asking for a reason, and it would be rather rude for the agent not to give an answer.
Thanks for providing such a great insight into an agent's process :)
Two issues: (1) Properly labeling the genre of one's work would be infinitely easier if there was a standard definition for each genre. The agents and editors I have worked with (three and two, respectively) couldn't reach a consensus as to whether my MS was urban fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, or magical realism. If they can't stick to a precise definition, how is a writer supposed to divine how a particular agent / editor will?
(2) As to the market research aspect you mentioned - naming a few titles already on the bookshelves - not necessary. As Brianne Johnson from the Writers House once put it succinctly on her info page: "It's an agent's job to know the market. An agent should know immediately upon reading a MS what other published works it compares to."
The implication is clear, I think. If I have to explain to an agent what is currently on the market in this genre, then obviously the agent is either not used to working in this genre or is simply being lazy. It is a writer's job to write the best book he/she can. If I wanted to specialize in marketing, I would be in THAT field and not a writer.
Question: What should J.K. Rowling's 'comparative list' have looked like? What else on the market at the time would have so closely compared to "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"? Answer: NOTHING.
Another point to consider: There are no standards or levels of qualification, certification, or licensing for a literary agent. Not even a hint of experience is required for any individual to print up business cards and a shingle promoting themselves as literary agents. Example: One agent I was considering contacting after doing some quick research on him gave as his experience and qualification for being a literary agent: "I spent twenty-five years as a grocery store manager, giving me the experience needed to work with the public." I am not joking.
Maybe the problem isn't a lack of quality writing. Maybe it is too many average literary agents who follow a standard track for taking on clients as opposed to those agents who spend at least a minimum amount of time apprenticing in a reputable literary agency or publishing house. Those agents seem to be the ones least likely to strictly adhere to cliched formulas - they also end up backing writers who become very successful. The world can thank Christopher Little, who owned a reputable literary agency, for seeing in Harry Potter what 12 previous agents did not or could not. (I'm guessing Harry Potter didn't fit their 'formula'.)
"What would J K Rowling's comparative list looked like ?"
Diana Wynne Jones is your answer. Wizards existing in the mundane world and schools for child wizards had already been done.
Very useful. Of course, not all great books are best sellers. I like not writing for the bottom line but for a niche market. I'm definitely one of those people who writes for the love it. I hope i never have to write for the money.
I agree with you but I somewhat don't agree with last statement only because everyone would like to get rewarded for what they love to do right?
Hi Sarah - Really looking forward to meeting you at Winchester Writers Festival in a couple of weeks time to discuss my novel 'DavGar And The All'. All the very best - Dave
I appreciate this information, bu after listening to this I've decided to take my four unpublished manuscripts and pull a Fleetwood Mac - GO MY ON WAY! Call it another lonely day. God bless you.
Hi Sarah! Thanks for the helpful advice! Keep up the good work :)
Nice video Sarah. Good insight of how a Literacy Agent works. Thanks!
Thanks for a great video, Sarah. All tips and pointers taken onboard :)
Great video, thanks for the advice.
1.0 Genre
2.0 Title
3.0 Publisher
4.0 Paragraph
5.0 What is wanted to be achieved.
Do's an Don'ts
Read a smash file. Agent will call after two weeks asking for manuscript. We as agents quickly ask for the best trim. Two to Six weeks
Here is the problem: most agents care too much about the query letter and not enough about the sample. All any agent should care about is whether or not said writer has the goods. Everything else is irrelevant and unnecessary. Everything.
Thank you for the info.
My queries, thus far, have received no requests for the manuscript. I wonder: are agents reluctant to take on a client who lives in Budapest?
Thanks for the tips.
Very interesting advice. Ironically, most sources I've accessed on query letters have advised an opposite order of content (short blurb first, and genre/title/length etc. last). Now I'm horribly confused. :-(
darling don't be confused, you can make it, I believe in you
Thank you for the information. It is good to know.
Thank you this is very helpful
Thanks for this
Kookie Chronicles read it I wrote like 8 so far My main character kicks major butt and he's only 5 years old rock'n a wooden sword and a onesie given all the Goblins in the forest
"the business"!
I would love to have an agent. But maybe my writing is not good enough to get one.
I liked your sincere explanation. I wonder, though, if you'd be open to the idea of representing a foreign (beginning) writer, say, from Europe, who's a non-native writer. I'll be getting in touch with you. I believe your profile seems compatible with my style, if that is meaningful of course
Genre is my problem. The book is an adult, contemporary, high-concept, sociopolitical, science-ish fiction, thriller. I'd go with science fiction, but there's simply a fictional gadget that allows the continuing of the story. My fear is that by labeling it science fiction it gives people the impression of space travel and other futuristic adventures, when it is far from that type of book. Any thoughts on this situation?
Steve Smith literary fiction. The genre you could use is literary fiction.
Thanks, Professor B.
"Definition of Literary FictionYou have probably heard of fiction - the branch of literature with made up
stories and characters. What you may not know is that not all fiction is
considered 'literary.' Literary fiction is universally
understood as symbolic or thematic fiction that critics consider to have
'literary merit.' In other words, it is a story that tries to be bigger
than the story itself. To do this, literary fiction must comment on
something that is considered significant, such as social or political
issues, or the human condition. Critics of literary fiction
usually contrast it to genre fiction, or fiction that is written to be
popular to a mass audience. The main difference between literary fiction
and genre fiction is their reliance on plot. While genre fiction is
driven by plot, literary fiction is less about its plot and more about
the value of its commentary. A great way to look at the distinction is
to remember that genre fiction tries to help you escape reality, while
literary fiction tries to get you to open up to your reality. " Mine is like Literary Fiction masquerading as science fiction, to help secure a movie deal ;)
Speculative fiction? Per The Handmaid's Tale, The Underground Railroad, The Power... would that genre fit?
Great video good advice sounds very honest
Very helpful. Thank you
Loved the video! You cleared up a lot of questions for me about query letters so thank you for that.
So here's my question for you and anyone else willing to answer. Should the book go through all edits before sending it in to you? I understand we should make it look as best we can but is it our responsibility to send it to editors or is that something an agent does.
Also my personal plan is to wait until I have a back log of books. So how would we send in multiple projects? All in one letter, different for each, or something else?
Hi Sarah, can I use translated proverbs of my language and foreign ones in my novel? e,g Arab translated into English
thanks for sharing this is great!
Is this the same process as writing & submitting screenplays for films? And would it be better to start with an agent or start with a manager in terms of getting representation?
Hey, so who's Chris Wooding's agent? That person know's talent.
This was very helpful - thank you so much - I'll be using all this advice when I submit to agents.
what if dont know of any comp titles that fit your novel, what then?
Deborah Balogun It can be helpful then to ask people who know your work what they would compare it to
thank you for the info!! super helpful! Specially on the subject of how to construct the hook.
My novel would be next to the homeless man who uses it as toilet paper.
How do I get a hold of you to submit my book?
I keep changing my query letter each time l send it to a new agent. Not sure if that is a good thing. I did got 2 rejections really quickly. I don't know if that is good or bad. Did the agent read the sample?!
sarah i am also a secret agent and a spy for 7 years
I found this mostly helpful. It does however bring up the point about how agents think we view them. I find researching agents very time consuming and difficult mainly because they are unclear in their own bios about what they are looking for. I feel strongly that the time I spent would have been better spent on my writing. Next time I will check whether they are reputable and a look at their bio and list and that's it.
Hi Sarah...can a literally agent be from a different country?
Sarah, I just finished writing the first draft of my first novel at 5:00pm on New Years Eve. It was 17°F outside. I have chosen you to be my agent.
The stars are not fixed: They move, and are moved by other forces. How can we know what propels them?
Form letter rejection.
+David Brown if you're anything like your brother Dan, you'll go far
Please forgive my ignorance, but you mentioned stating where on the shelf our book would sit. Is that a question regarding our name (or pen name), or is it a question of similar writers? For instance, my pen name's last name starts with an "A" so I would be towards the start of the shelves for the genre. But for writers of a similar style, that would be an entirely different answer.
Your book's genre
Are you still taking manuscripts?
Great video. Very informative.
Thank you for your videos, very helpful and informative.
Hi Sarah! Thank you for this video! ✨🧡🧡
My query letter is fuckin awesome. My books sucks ass tho
Tha is this was helpful!
Love your accent.
I keep writing to agents but they keep on not answering me my cover letter is very good and the envelope is good and my attitude is good ,but they aren't seeing the good in my letter
Hi nice video, I clicked the link which does not work. I read the comments and I agree with most, especially about the agents. We live in a corrupt world where those who have a little power feel they is all that. Another thing I notice is how they will decline your work but send you a link to a website where you have to pay to get an agent to screen you. One day... One day.
I so, SO wish that literary agents would stop talking about “your book” as if it is automatically a novel. It’s such a waste of time, for nonfiction writers like myself having to listen to hours of this - absolute waffle - repeat, repeat - hoping that some speaker will have *something* useful to say to us non-fiction writers. If they persist in this I’m going to start screaming that they need to split their videos into entirely separate units - labeled, up front, into separate categories: “advice for fiction writers versus advice for non-fiction writers. Life is too effin’ short!
Speakers having a problem articulating is distracting. It makes it difficult to follow the speakers line of thought. You know, the same thing happens to writers, but God help you if it shows up in your manuscript. tctctctc, Off with the head, into the trash. When buying a car I want more than to know what tires are on it. To assume you know all about your automotive purchase from a picture of its tires is just stupid. Determining an MS is garbage by the first page or two is well, , , , , d. as well. I wont go further, Id like to, but,,,
I don't understand the 9 that disliked. This is useful information!!!
why Sarah ,agents don't want to represent my prose poetry?
So.... dont send a link to my only fans. Got it. That explains alot 😂
Imagine all the manuscripts that are gold mines worth millions that could have been sold, but because of a not so impressive pitch letter, cover letter, query letter the work didn't get any attention. Literary agents need to stop acting like they are holding the keys to the kingdom and expecting authors to impress them. I call such lit.agents "vanity agents" They need to come down from their pedestal a few notches. They need to stop focusing on the query letters. Read the damn story instead and not just the first few chapters to see if the story is marketable.
This issue is why many good authors left the whole idea of finding an lit.agent and went on instead to become their own agent and were successful.
An impressive query letter doesn't mean the manuscript is going to be a hit.
If people who work with marketing in this world knew more about psychology, and essence of "mind-control" they would understand how they can create an illusion for potential readers that the book is awesome.
Younger readers such as youth don't have much to compare with. They read your book and find it captivating even if the style doesn't follow all the typical guidelines. They don't give a holler about that, they want a fun story. Older and experienced readers are harder to please.
I recommend novice writers to write their first book or two for younger readers. These have fewer demands. Younger readers such as teenagers aren't keen on reading background information, they want to read a story starting from A to B and forward not B to A and forward. Anyone understand what I mean?
Jane Simmons it doesn't seem like you have much experience.
skatergurljubulee either that or trolling
Jane, if you can't write a TH-cam comment, I very much doubt your full novel is going to impress an agent. And, look, you edited your comment as well...and there's still an array of errors. Oooops.
Why do you post this on every single video about querying?? We get it!!!!
I'm sorry you're so angry Jane. Perhaps writing is not your cup of tea and you should consider doing something you like. However, from your statements it appears your knowledge on the business side of writing is spotty. Joining a professional writing organization can help you understand what literary agents do as well as assist in the craft of writing itself.
Your advice to novice writers is flat-out wrong.
Write what you love. If you're writing in a genre you don't like, it will show and the reader won't be pleased. They are going to tell their friends and the message will spread. This goes for any genre.
Your words indicate that writing for children, middle grades and YA is easy peasy and as readers they are stupid. What insulting rubbish!
Query letters and synopsis serve a purpose for the author and the agent. If an author can't write a query letter that makes sense or half the words are spelled incorrectly why would someone waste their time reading a novel by the same person? Writing synopsis is probably not my strong point but literary agents are savvy enough to know this as well as spotting a project they can be passionate about.
Reading the guidelines and following them may seem simple, but again, if you can't follow directions how are you going to handle deadlines and edits?
There's more to writing than spewing words on a page. The author must have a product that can be sold. Writing is creative but it's also a business. I began my writing journey 27 years ago and I'm still learning. I teach a creative writing workshop for RWA and in the past for other writing organizations. I've mentored writers, go to conferences to network and continue to strengthen my writing skills.
I've been published by small press and worked as an editor, newspaper, magazine and self-published fiction and nonfiction.
Most agents love their jobs and are thrilled to find an author that fits with their interest/area of expertise. Literary agents are not a writer's enemy. They are professionals who love books and want to find the author who best fits with them.
Marketing and PR people are well aware of the benefits of psychology in their respective professions.
I took the time to write this long reply in hopes that someone who is a beginning writer won't be misled by your vitriolic post.
Best wishes to everyone wherever you are in your writing journey and thank you to Sarah Manning for taking the time to share this information.
someone's been having elocution lessons
@@BuddhaofBlackpool HAHA that's next semester
Women literary agents are way to picky and they're not interested in no kind of genre but Romance, historical fiction, nonfiction, and young adult. I write crime fiction and horror. I would never want to have a female literary agent.
I'm always amused by the ubiquitous influx of bitter failed writers that flood these videos as soon as the gates are opened. Reinforcing each other with their straw arguments and confirmation biases. You're just frustrated because the process is messy, and complicated, welcome to the world. I'm surprised you wrote a book and somehow still only just now got here.
chill..
@@danbh84 You seriously just told me to "chill" for pointing out how unreasonably hostile these people are, let that sink in for a minute.
@@futurestoryteller you seem so bitter - chill out lol - I'm sure you'll publish something one day
@@danbh84 Oooh you're an idiot. My bad.
Just a cinematic tip: sit a little further back from the camera for proper framing. :)
Hello. I will like you to represent me.
If you look at the garbage which is actually published, it becomes apparent what a tacky business this often is...
I just published my Book titled The God Good To Figure Out on Amazon Kinde. A christian apologetic Book
Very sensible and helpful, but oh what a scratchy voice, so hard to listen to.
Interested in publishing the first science non fiction book? 18,000 landslides occurred on January 5, 1982 that killed 33 in San Francisco and it happened on the 49th anniversary of the start of the Golden Gate Bridge and coinicided with Marilyn Mansons 13th birthday. He turned 49 on January 5, 2018 and God blew Kodovars top in Paupa New Guinea to signyfy the occasion covering the Island in Lava and forcing everyone to evacuate. That Volcano has never erupted in recorded history. Philadelphia is one of the 7 churches of Revelation. The Eagles won there first Superbowl in 2018. Philly to Canton Ohio is exactly 333 miles as the crow flies. Canton is where the football Hall of Fame is and is also Marilyn Manson was born. Canton to Chicago is exactly 333 miles as the crow flies. This line adds up to equals 666. This is the true root of the mark of the beast. Chicago is where Anton Lavey published the satanic in 1969 the same year Manson was born. They became friends and first met at Anton's “Black house” in San Francisco where he founded the church of satan. The Birdman of Alcatraz is one of God’s Angels. After he died he was transported cross country from San Francisco to Metropolis Illinois, the only city named after Superman's hometown. The steel used to build the Golden Gate is named after Jesus's hometown, Bethlehem. This story spans from Rocky to The Rock which both stand for Jesus's best friend Peter the Rock. In the 1962 movie "the birdman of Alcatraz" the first bird he saves is a Sparrow. He then names him Jack. In the "Pirates of the Caribbean Johny Depp plays Captain Jack Sparrow. Johny Depp was a special Angel until he became best friends with Manson who "Hopefully I will be remembered for the one who brought an end to Christianity." That same year he released his self titled album "Antichrist Superstar" Ft. Wayne to Metropolis is also 333 miles as the crow flies. Rabbi Yitzhak Kaduri was a very respected religious leader and had more people attend his funeral then anyone in the history of Israel. A highly anticipated letter written by the Rabbi was opened exactly one year after his death that stated Jesus was the true Messiah. On January 28, 1986 the space shuttle challenger exploded killing all 7 on board, exactly 10 years later Jerry Siegal the creator of Superman died on the Birdman's 106th Birthday, January 28, 1996. 10 years later the Rabbi died and exactly10 years after that Signe Toly and Paul Kantner of Jefferson Airplane from San Francisco both died on January 28, 2016. George Reeves who was the first man to play Superman on tv was born on January 5, 1914. January 5, is also national bird day. It is fitting that the antichrist shares his birthday with national bird day because this is what it says in Revelation 19:17-1 "Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, ‘Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men." This is referring to the birds of Revelation feasting on the antichrist and his armies. I was born 1/27/1980 and the Birdman was 1/28/1890. In 1996 I became paralyzed the first time I heard the song "Beautiful People." In 2001 a demons voice guided me to Mansons autobiography "The Long Hard Road out Of Hell." In 2003 Carmelo Anthony led the Syracuse Orangemen to their first NCAA Championship in 2003 over the Kansas Jayhawks. The next day I walked the yellow brick road after almost drowning where the St. Joseph and St. Marys rivers meet. I know this sounds like the twilight zone but this is all true. Rod Serling who wrote most all of the twilight zone episodes was born in Syracuse New York and also shares Jesus's Birthday. The first person I met at St. Joe after the river incident was a man named OZ who had a branding on his right forearm that had the "Echo" logo on it. The Rhinoceros logo was the same size and shape of the logo on the side of the reddish orange Echo shoes I was given earlier that day by my friend Scot after I got out of the river barefoot. “the Dark side of the Rainbow" originated with a 1995 Fort Wayne Journal Gazette newspaper in the same exact city I would walk the yellow brick road 8 years later. This is also the same year I climbed the Anthony Wayne building on St. Patrick's day 2003 and got arrested which is the first video I uploaded on here. I also dated Mary Jane who was born in Canton just like Manson. The Wizard of OZ is a parable about the end of the world and the defeat of the antichrist. The pale of water is a sign of baptism. I believe Manson will either get baptized below the Golden Gate or he's going to jump from the top. Marilyn Manson is the Wicked Witch of the West. When they chant Lions and Tigers and Bears oh my, God is warning of the cities of Detroit and Chicago, because of the Detroit Lions, Detroit Tigers, and the Chicago Bears. The teams in Fort Wayne are named after the Wizard of OZ. The Tin Caps are the baseball team which would be The Tin Woodsman. Before they were the Tin caps they were the Fort Wayne Wizards. Johnny Appleseed was a Tin woodsman who was buried in Ft. Wayne.The basketball team in Fort Wayne is the Mad Ants which would be the “the Aunty M’s” The Hockey team is the Komets but before they were the Komets they were the Flint Choppers. Nick Chopper was the Tinman's original name. In "Return to Oz" Dorothy is sent to the psyche ward. Just before they try to give here shock therapy lighting knocks the power out. Dorothy escapes out a window and gets swept away by a river which takes her to OZ. In 2003 I almost drowned in the river and that night I ended up meeting OZ at St. Joe where they tried to give me shock therapy. I also tried to escape out the window. I haven't aged a day since that River incident in 2003 when I was 23. Marshall Mathers rapped as M&M and I used to Rap as Reaces Peaces. We are both left handed and both have blue eyes. M&M was born in St. Joseph Missouri and I was born at St. Joseph Hospital. M&M's Middle name is Bruce and he grew up in Wayne county. Bruce Wayne is Batmans name. Peter the Rock is the original Batman. He requested an upside down crusifiction because he said he was not worthy to be crusified like Jesus. There was a man on the Jayhawks team in 2003 whose name is Wayne Anthony the founder of Ft. Wayne's name backwards. Wayne was injured and couldn't play in that championship game. Wayne Anthony went on to have a very successful NBA career. Peyton Manning #18 went to play for a horse of a different color, from the Colts to the Broncos. Brock OS(OZ) Weiller Quarterbacked most of there Superbowl winning season. Manning’s favorite thing to say was“Omaha." At the end of the Wizard of OZ you can see “Omaha” is written on the side of the hot Air Balloon. In Denver Peyton was first defeated by, “the Emerald city" the Birdmans hometown and in Super Bowl 50 Peyton defeated Superman at the 49ers Cathedral. I was born on January 27, the same as Nick Mason of Pink Floyd. They released “the Dark side of the moon." The album starts with "Breathe" which has a lyric "run rabbit run." Eminem played "B Rabbit" in the movie 8 mile which is loosely based on a series written by John Updyke titled “Run rabbit run." John died 7 years after the movie release on my birthday in 2009. M&M released the song "the Yellow Brick road" and Elton John released the album “leaving the Yellow Brick road" they performed the song "Stan" together at the 2001 Grammys. M&M released his autobiography "the dark side of Eminem" the chapter "Stan" starts on my birthday page 127. Stan Lee created Spiderman and when Dorothy runs away the first person she meets is professor Marvel. Marvel comics is where Spiderman is from. Andre the Giant who shares my last name died on my 13th Birthday 1/27/93. Andre was born exactly 127 miles from where my Great, Great, grandfather was born in Belfort France. The man who sculpted the statue of Liberty was also born in Belfort. Marilyn has been trying to produce the movie “Phantasmagoria" for years. Manson plays an evil Lewis Carrol when Lewis was known to be devout Christian. Carrol also born on January 27. Barbara Hershey who was Mary Magdalene in Oliver Stone’s the last Temptation of Christ was on the set of a movie when she felt the Spirit of a Seagull enter her body after it passed. She then changed her name to Barbara Seagull. Ja Rule who I was convinced was trying to kill me in 2003 played "Nickolas" in the 2002 movie Half Past dead where he is an inmate on Alcatraz along with an actor who shares Barbaras last name, Steven Seagull. I found out later that Ja Rule was actually trying to murder 50 Cent in real life the same time I thought he was out to kill me. There is a reason 50 got shot 9 times and didn't die. In 2001 After a trip back from Detroit with my best friend Life a red orb appeared to me and told me it was my Angel of light, it also told me I was Jesus. Later I thanked God for telling me I was Jesus, and a voiceoice said I was never coming back. I got home an hour later and my girlfriend told me while I was gone a voice told her I was never coming back. I thought I committed an unforgivable sin by believing I was Jesus. I asked for forgiveness for ever believing what the voice had said. I got depressed and tried to hang myself but the hook ripped out of the ceiling when I was testing it and I decided to not go through with it. Later I came across Corinthians 11:14, which states "The devil will come to you as an Angel of light" and that is what it told me before it told me I was Jesus. It was the devil not God who told me I was never coming back. I realized this was all an elaborate plan by the devil to try to get me to kill myself. From then on I knew I was here for a reason.
this woman us gorgeous she can publish my book any day of the week, that's for damn sure
I know, what a stunner
By your calling, Agatha Christie would be considered from start _negligible material_ for having written a crime story in only 18,000 words, against another's at 300,000 words. Let's call those fat stories "Big Macs" or "compulsive appetite generators" . . To prove this anomaly wrong, lets look at Og Mandino's, _The Greatest Salesman in the World,_ who sold over 100 million copies with his ~18,000 words novella. Cannot that tell you a lot about how to judge a story?
Most authors are unable to sell themselves. Most of them are _shy, unflashy,_ and could never "boast" about their own work using supreme arguments. A fine story has nothing to do (in many opinions) with a poorly written query letter or timid self-presentation.
Can't you ignore the politically correct industry's practices, and read the material? You may grow surprised when you'll find _diamonds in the rough_....
I'm pretty sure she said 80,000 words, not 18,000. 18,000 words is not a novel.
You have a fuck ton of manuscripts coming in. You can't read them all so you need a way to lighten the workload. How? Guidelines. Rules. 18,000 words is not a novel so it can instantly be ignored because they're not here to publish anything shorter than novels. It's called efficiency. What you want would require the reading of everything. That is naive and unrealistic.
Also just realised the comment is a year old as I finished typing this. Oh well.
so it comes to this, she starts a youtube channel and uploads an intro video on 7 apr. a month later uploads a 2nd video with good content, a month later uploads a 3rd video, and we never here from her again. no follow thru, no explanation, obviously not committed to the project with only one video a month.
this begs the question; ' does she treat her clients this way?' is she going to be 3 months into you professional project, get bored and move on to something else and never tell you about it? how does this reflect on this bent company she is working for? I would not want to put my hard work in the hands of some little girl who leaves you hanging and does not finish what she starts. this is not professional behaviour.
Dye your hair and go full-on James Blonde.
You're stunningly gorgeous!
What an irritating voice and cadence... I wonder how many publishers reject her books just so they don't have to take her calls and listen to that nails-on-a-chalkboard voice? And where did she magically acquire the vast knowledge of story telling to have the gall to make an author do multiple rewrites that could take a year or more before representing the book? If you think it needs that much work, why are you even interested?
If an agent takes on a book that needs rewrites, that generally means that they saw something they loved in the book and feel it has real potential. That is a good thing. Rarely is a book ever ready to publish the instant the agent acquires it.