How I Got My Agent: Wendy Knight

So excited to have author Wendy Knight here today to share her story of how she got her agent. Thank you, Wendy! :)

***

Before I got my agent, I had published thirteen novels through a small publisher and self-publishing. Monster Whisperer was something different though. It was a picture book, and I had no idea how to do that on my own. So I started querying and entering contests, not with a lot of hope, because I had queried my debut novel, Feudlings, for a year with many, many rejections before my publisher, Clean Reads, found me. But the contests were fun, and I liked to meet other authors who were in the trenches with me.

I entered the Twitter Pitmad contest, where you try to describe your book in less than 140 characters, and make it interesting enough to catch attention. Somehow, miracle of miracles, I caught Jordy’s eye, and she asked to see it. Since it’s barely 1,000 words, I sent the whole thing. And then…I waited. While I waited, I continued to query and work on other projects to save my sanity. A month later, she sent me an email asking if I was still seeking representation.

I may have squealed. A lot.

Then I wrote her back and said yes, yes I was, and I think I used a lot of exclamation points. We set up a time to chat on the phone, and then I waited some more. Unfortunately, I am TERRIFIED of the phone. My adorable husband came home from work so he could offer moral support during the call, and I paced back and forth and back and forth, like, a gazillion times through my kitchen. Honestly, I can’t remember much of what we talked about. I had researched questions to ask ahead of time, and things to think about and things to watch out for, but I didn’t remember anything.

I do remember, though, how nice she was. We had similar interests and I told her the story of Monster Whisperer, which was based on my two little ones and their fear of the monsters in the dark. She then said she had to talk to her partner about representing me, and she would send a contract. In celebration, I bought thigh-high pink boots.

So there it is. How I got my agent. And she is awesome!

Author Bio:

Wendy Knight is the award-winning, bestselling author of the young adult series Fate on Fire and Riders of Paradesos. She was born and raised in Utah by a wonderful family who spoiled her rotten because she was the baby. Now she spends her time driving her husband crazy with her many eccentricities (no water after five, terror when faced with a live phone call, no touching the knives…you get the idea). She also enjoys chasing her three adorable kids, playing tennis, watching football, reading, and hiking. Camping is also big—her family is slowly working toward a goal of seeing all the National Parks in the U.S.

You can usually find her with at least one Pepsi nearby, wearing ridiculously high heels for whatever the occasion. And if everything works out just right, she will also be writing.

Social Media Links:

Blog: www.wendyknightauthor.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorWendyKnight
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wjk8099
Instagram: http://instagram.com/wendyjo99
Wattpad: http://wattpad.com/WendyKnight
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Wendy-Knight/e/B00BWU9NBE/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1405620608&sr=1-2-ent

How I Got My Agent: Suzanne Warr

My good friend, Suzanne Warr, is here with us today to share her inspiring agent story. I met Suzanne at a conference a year and a half ago and we've kept in touch ever since. Take it away, Suzanne!

***

Finding the right agent can feel like searching for a pearl on the bottom of the ocean--a pearl that's the key to an author completing their life quest, but hidden from view by a mundane oyster shell. My search began in earnest some 6-7 years, before I found my agent, Christa Heshke, of McIntosh and Otis. Initially I was subbing an urban fantasy MG, just as the industry was tapering off and those books had become a tough sell. Still, I got good practice ‘diving’ and over the three years got approximately twenty full requests, and some great revision notes and writing advice. All of the rejections were encouraging.

But, a rejection is a rejection, right? It’s hard to see that pearl slip away, after having come so close. I attempted a YA, but it didn’t sum much because even I could tell the voice sounded MG. So, hide away in my office from the writing world, and wrote a different kind of book. Something a little silly, with crossing the road jokes and ninja chickens. In winter of 2013 I'd finished the first draft, and started work on the query. When getting feedback on it, a writing friend suggested I enter my query into Writeoncon's Luck of the Irish pitch contest. I figured I had nothing to lose, so threw myself into the forum discussion that proceeded the pitch contest. Through the feedback I received I realized that two secondary characters needed to be combined into one, and my third chapter needed to become my first.

When the contest began, I eagerly looked up the agent who’d been assigned my book...and my heart sank. She was brand new with no previous agenting experience, and moreover going it alone, without an agency to back her or mentors in the industry. Still, I was grateful for what I'd learned about my novel and query, and set to work rewriting it. As an extra boost, when the pitch contest ended, my book 'won' among the dozen or so pitches it competed against, and got recognition in the forums as one of the winners of the contest. I'll always be grateful to that agent, who picked out my pitch, because she turned a spotlight on my writing.

However, she seemed lukewarm about the book itself, saying it was aimed at younger readers than she usually went for. She did offer feedback on a partial--which I scrambled to have ready for her--and I took a deep breath, knowing this was only the first of many dives.

Except it wasn’t. Another agent--my future agent, Christa--saw my pitch because of its being featured as a winner. She approached the contest organizers about getting my information, so she could request pages. Imagine my surprise when I received this email! It was the first time an agent had every sought me out, and it felt great! Unfortunately, I was still carrying through the revision I'd launched as a result of the forum feedback. As I typed up the email telling her the full manuscript wasn’t quite ready, I did it with the sinking feeling that I'd just blown my best chance. However, she was polite and said I could send it when it was ready, and two weeks later--in early April--I sent her off the full. In the past, I'd always gone down for more ‘dives’ and done my querying in batches, but in this case I decided to wait. I really liked what I'd learned about Christa, and wanted to hear what she had to say before throwing a wider net. It was a risk, but one I felt good about taking.

April rolled into May, which rolled into June. I got an email from Christa, saying she'd be getting to my manuscript soon. I mentally resigned myself to her passing, since my experience with my first manuscript had taught me that agent's enthusiasm for a manuscript ebbed the longer they had it.

Meanwhile, my family was heading out to Estes National Park, in Colorado, for a family reunion. In a trip worthy of a novel quest story, everything that could go wrong did. Our early morning flight was delayed for hours and hours. At one point, I used my phone to check my emails, thinking how cool it would be if an offer of representation came in while I twiddled my thumbs in the airport. It would make such a great story! There wasn't anything, though, and I promised myself I'd stop obsessing and focus on family time.

That was my mistake. Obsession is always the answer.

When we finally made it into Denver that evening, we'd missed our shuttle up to the park, and needed to hunt for another one, since it was long past their usual hours. When we finally dragged our weary bodies into our cabin beds aroundmidnight, we passed out, without even checking emails. The next day I kept my promise and focused on family time--which was made easier by our cell phones having no reception in most of the park. The morning after that, though, I had my hubby check my emails as I combed out my daughter's hair. I'll never forget the tone of his voice when he said "There's something here you need to see. Come look at this email."
I came, and after reading it three times finally processed what I was seeing--a request for a phone call, in order to discuss an offer of representation! At that point, I did what any sensible author would do—paced in a circle between the beds and bathroom, repeating over and over 'Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh' while I marched.

I'm a little embarrassed at how long that went on. Truth, I don’t really know, because that day and the next couple are a blur. I'm pretty sure my daughter's hair did not get combed. I did have a phone call with Christa, and found her to be just as delightful as I'd hoped. I asked her all the questions on my long list, and loved her revision notes for my book. En route back down the mountain, at the end of our stay, I signed and returned an electronic copy of the agency contract on my phone! Another moment I’ll never forget.

So, what did I learn? How can my story help you to go after your pearl-in-an-oyster, and net it when you find it?
· Each book is unique, and on its own journey. Try not to bring baggage from previous searches—instead giving each situation its own chance.
· Be ready to fix your book as soon as you recognize a need for improvement. If I hadn't jumped on the changes my forum buddies suggested, my partial might not have impressed Christa enough to request a full.
· Query widely, unless you feel you shouldn’t. I tried it both ways, and can’t say one is better than the other, but I know that the second time out, waiting for feedback from Christa was the right thing for me.
· Never give up hope. Never. The only way you’ll lose is if you keep diving. Your agent is out there!

Suzanne Warr writes middle grade fantasy and science fiction, with enough humor and adventure to keep things lively. She is a graduate of BYU with a history degree, and has a black belt. She is also a content editor for Red Adept Publishing, so she has the awesome day job of helping authors shape their novels into the books they want to become. Her favorite hobbies include sword fighting, playing at the beach, and hiking the gorgeous trails around her home in central North Carolina. She is represented by Christa Heschke of McIntosh and Otis. You can find her on her blog www.suzannewarr.com, where she spotlights a middle grade each week, and on Facebook under Suzanne Warr. She’s also on twitter as @zeechick, and on Instagram as warrchick.

How I Got My Agent: Stephanie Faris

It's time for another How I Got My Agent series! This week, I've lined up some great authors who were more than willing to share their story of how they got their agent. I think you'll enjoy them! For today, we have the amazingly talented Stephanie Faris with us. Take it away, Stephanie!

How I Got My Agent

by Stephanie Faris

The journey to publication is never a straight line. For many of us, there will be a few wrong turns, some dead ends, and quite a few roadblocks along the way. But as long as you get to your final destination, it’s all worth it.

I wasn’t new to writing when I first started looking for an agent, but I was new to writing for young readers. I was so excited to hear there was finally a market for books for teens, I jumped right into writing one without really studying the market. I read quite a few books and thought I knew what the industry wanted, but I was way off.

The book that landed my agent started out as a series called Ghost Patrol. It was about three teenage ghost hunters, written at the beginning of the paranormal investigation craze. I knew it had that unique something that just might get attention, so I started sending it to agents. The feedback was positive, but interesting.

“Your voice is a little too young for young adult,” one agent said. “Could you rewrite it as a middle grade?”

At the time, this was news to me. I’d grown up young adult books like Sweet Valley High, which were targeted to tween readers. I had no idea today’s young adult books were supposed to be written for 18-year-olds to read, mostly because when I started researching, I naturally gravitated toward the sweet young adult books that were out there. I read a stack of middle grade books and rewrote Ghost Patrol as a middle grade novel.

That agent rejected it, but I knew it was even stronger. I started the research process over, searching for an agent that was looking for a great middle-grade series. That was when I found Natalie Lakosil. She was actively looking for authors at the time and she was at a great agency. I sent a partial of Ghost Patrol to her and soon after, she asked for the complete manuscript.

I still remember that trip to the post office. At the time, I’d had years of experience with standing in line at the post office with my packaged-up manuscript in hand, but I remember this one specifically. I had a good feeling about it. After more than a decade of rejections, you should learn never to get your hopes up, but you can’t help wondering, “Is this it?”

The email came in unexpectedly. I actually read her second email first, the one where she’d attached the contract. I had to backtrack to the email just before, where she’d offered representation. I know you’re supposed to think on it for a while, but I’d already researched her. I knew she was the one I wanted.

I think if there’s anything to be learned from my journey, it’s that perseverance pays off. Also, the book you land an agent with may never even see the light of day and that’s okay. It was read by the most important reader of all—the agent who sold my first (and every other) book!

(Also, P.S., Natalie just put out a call for “a fun, fresh historical or sci-fi romance.” So if you have one, send, send, send!)

Bio:

Stephanie Faris knew she wanted to be an author from a very young age. In fact, her mother often told her to stop reading so much and go outside and play with the other kids. After graduating from Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science in broadcast journalism, she somehow found herself working in information technology. But she never stopped writing.

Stephanie is the Simon & Schuster author of 30 Days of No Gossip and 25 Roses, as well as the upcoming Piper Morgan series. When she isn’t crafting fiction, she writes for a variety of online websites on the topics of business, technology, and her favorite subject of all—fashion. She lives in Nashville with her husband, a sales executive. 

Links:

Website

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Blurb:

Piper helps some four-legged friends find the perfect home in the third book of the brand-new Piper Morgan series.

Piper is super excited to help out at Bark Street, a local animal shelter in town. Who wouldn’t want to be surrounded by adorable puppies and dogs all day? And when Piper sees Taffy, the cutest dog she has ever seen, Piper is determined to find a way to bring Taffy home. But it won’t be easy—especially when she finds out someone else wants to make Taffy a part of their family, too!

How I Got My Agent: J.A. Bellinger

If you ever wonder if online contests really work for writers, this next author is proof that indeed they do! Today we have the world-traveling J.A. Bellinger here to share her agent story. I met J.A. through Query Kombat, and I was so excited when she made the announcement that she is now agented. Let's hear her story...

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How I Got My Agent

Typing the title for this submission was surreal. I’ve spent hours studying stories of how other writers got their agents, trying to piece together the formula to make that magic happen for myself.

Turns out that while there was a little magic to it, mostly it was hard work.

I’m going to back my story up a bit for those of you who are as green as I was at the beginning of this process—oh, those innocent days before I could distinguish between a query letter and a synopsis or decipher acronyms like TBR and WIP and CP (that’s To Be Read, Work in Progress, and Critique Partner for you newbies!). Because frankly, I never would have gotten an agent if I hadn’t gotten an editor first.

I started writing my first novel, The Art of Almost, over four years ago. I didn’t set out to be a writer, though I’ve written on and off for my whole life. But on the flight home from my brother’s wedding in Arizona, I had an idea that I loved so much, I knew I had to try. As I drove home from the airport in the middle of the night, I left a voicemail for my office that I couldn’t make it in the next morning. I woke up feeling like an idiot, my belief in my writing ability vanished as quickly as it had appeared. But I’d already called in—I think a part of me knew I’d never write that story if I didn’t start immediately—so I made myself sit down and try. And from that moment on, I’ve never stopped.

Early on, I hoped to avoid the daunting process of getting an agent all together. I had a few friends with some vague connections to the industry; surely someone would hear about my brilliant concept and be so dazzled by my writing that I’d never have to write the dreaded query letter.

That’s not quite how it went.

What I got instead turned out to be excellent advice: get an editor. I agreed, and within the week I’d submitted sample pages to several editors. Secretly I thought they’d read my work and tell me there was nothing they could possibly help me improve upon, then hook me up with their publisher friends and my book would become a bestseller . . . and then a movie . . .

Again, that’s not quite how it went.

Turns out I didn’t need just one editor. I needed three.

I also needed Twitter, another recommendation I initially ignored and hoped I was the exception to. Social media? Not for me. I wanted to spend my time writing. But now I know that Twitter is the water cooler for writers, and there’s no more supportive, generous, gracious group of people than writers. Through Twitter I found out about the Query Kombat contest. At one point the name would have intimidated me—damn the query letter! —but by then I’d gotten tons of feedback on my query letter (and I’d queried before, in a wildly unsuccessful fashion). I was ready for Kombat.

Through the contest, I got in touch with the agents who had requested more pages after reading my query letter and first 250 words (250 words?! How much can someone possibly judge your brilliant story in 250 words?!). One of the agents, the wonderful Whitley Abell of Inklings Literary Agency, wrote back within a week asking for a full. My hopes were sky high. A few months went by, and then Whitley’s email popped up in my inbox (not that I was checking obsessively or anything)—the absolute best way to wake up on a Saturday! We talked the next day, and it was the most validating conversation of my life. She understood what I was trying to say and got my characters in a way no one else had. I knew immediately from Whitley’s enthusiasm that she’d be an amazing agent. We’re wrapping up editing now and will hopefully be submitting soon!

Hang in there, my fellow writers. It takes time to get there, but keep at it and one day the lovely Kristin Smith will be asking you how you got your agent!

J. A. Bellinger lives in her hometown of Indianapolis, a sweet city whose appeal only occurred to her after she had lived in six other places. Brisbane, Australia, where she spent a semester during college, provides the setting for her first novel, The Art of Almost. Bellinger still loves to travel, despite having once awoken to a cockroach scuttling across her cheek and having lived for months in a thinly walled mountain cabin, where a wood-burning stove provided both heat and a lovely substitute for TV. It was huddled by that stove that she met her husband, whom she wooed with the dozens of CDs crammed into her backpack. Bellinger is fascinated by why people make the choices they do and by what happens when regret creeps in, when the what ifs take over. In The Art of Almost, she gives readers the chance to live out those possibilities through the protagonist, Anna Marin.

How I Got My Agent: Gina Denny

The very sweet Gina Denny was kind enough to share her "How I Got My Agent" story. This story was originally posted on her own blog back in February 2015 right after she signed with her agent. You can read her original post HERE. Thank you, Gina!

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Not to give away the ending or anything, but the post sort of sums it all up. If you want the quick and dirty details:

I've officially signed with Kirsten Carleton of Waxman Leavell Literary. 

Pitchwars was involved and she originally contacted me via a PitMad event this past summer. 

That's the short version. 

Here's the long version: 

I started querying my first novel, SNOW FALLING, in the summer of 2013. As I was putting the finishing touches on that novel, I had the idea for what would eventually become SANDS OF IMMORTALITY. When I talked to other people, everyone said, "Write that book instead. That's way better than the Snow White one." 

I queried the Snow story anyway and racked up a whole lot of rejections, as would be expected. I wrote the next book - which is loosely based on Sleeping Beauty - and kept moving forward. I started writing in November of 2013, and in fact this novel was the only time I ever finished NaNoWriMo. 

In the late summer of 2014, I started querying SANDS OF IMMORTALITY. I entered it into some twitter pitch contests, one of which was the #PitMad contest. Kristen requested my work based on this pitch: 

Her mother's cryptic journal. An ancient spell. A prince on the run. Waking Sleeping Beauty was simpler when it was just a dragon


At the time, however, Kirsten worked for an agency that required exclusives. My query was with five other agents, and one already had a full manuscript, so I had to hold off on querying Kirsten.

Then came PitchWars. I entered. I was chosen by Mina Vaughn and we worked on my manuscript. When it was all done, I started querying. I got requests back immediately, so I felt really confident in my work. By this time, Kirsten was working for Waxman Leavell. They didn't require exclusive submissions, so I queried her with the new manuscript. She responded pretty quickly (next day, actually) asking for a partial, and then the next week asking for a full.

Then the holidays started.

And publishing slows to a crawl during the holidays and I sat, staring at an empty inbox for about four weeks.

Let me tell you, THAT was the agonizing part. Having fulls and partials out, knowing that everyone was enjoying time with their families and I wouldn't hear anything for weeks and weeks.

Anyway...

Kirsten emailed me last week, offering representation. We spoke on the phone and it was just easy. I'm not big on phone calls in general, but she had an excellent idea for tweaking my ending a bit. I was exceptionally nervous about this because my ending is definitely not a Happily Ever After, and it's not for everybody. But she doesn't want it to be a Happily Ever After, she just saw a way for it to be bittersweet in a more realistic and powerful way.

That sold me.

She got my book and my reasons for doing it the way I did. She liked the ideas for the whole series and wanted to work with me all the way. I was sold already, but I wanted to do the right thing and make sure I had all the information before I made a permanent decision, so I contacted everyone else who had my work. Two more agents requested fulls (one had a partial already, one only had the query), and I sat and I waited, refreshing my inbox like a crazy person for ten days.

But here we are. Today, I signed the contract and I am officially represented by Kirsten Carleton. I'm so excited to make some changes and to make this book the best book I can produce and eventually work towards putting it on some shelves!

For those who like the stats:

First manuscript:

Queries sent: 70

Requests: 10 (including partials, fulls, and 2 R&Rs that asked for wildly different things)

Months on the query circuit: 15

Second manuscript:

Queries sent: 27

Requests: 10 (including partials and fulls)

Months on the query circuit: two, then a break for PitchWars, and then three more, for a total of five. 

Gina Denny is a homeschooling mom to four very noisy boys and part-time band and orchestra director. In both settings, she talks a little too much about Harry Potter. She has a bachelor's degree in business, a master's degree in education, and once stood in line for NSYNC tickets for just over fourteen hours. She loves live music, hiking, overly silly sitcoms, and burritos. She writes fantasy for grown-ups and lives and works in the Phoenix area. Visit Gina's website at ginadenny.blogspot.com and follow her on Twitter at @ginad129.

How I Got My Agent: Tiana Smith

Today we are super lucky to have the lovely Tiana Smith here to share her "How I Got My Agent Story." This series has been pretty popular in the past, so I'm excited to have another weeks worth of awesome author/agent stories.

Take it away, Tiana!

***

While I've been writing for years, I didn't query my first couple of books because they were just that bad. Take my word for it. But my third book felt different. It had more life to it and I was completely invested in it, heart and soul. I sent it into the world and was pleasantly surprised when positive feedback started pouring in. Queries turned into partial requests, then full requests, some R&Rs and even talking with a few agents on the phone. But still, no offers.

I can't describe how incredibly disheartening it is to speak with agents (plural) on the phone and get SO FREAKING CLOSE, only to walk away to the same place you started. It was like competing in the Olympics and leaving without a medal. So super close, but still .003 seconds away. This went on for months and months. And months. I put the book away and waited until I felt ready to try again.

When I finished my next book, I slowly dipped my toes into the query trenches again. I started with the agents who had expressed interest, and as before, the requests came pouring in. This time, it wasn't exciting. It was dreadful. Each request was like a punch to the stomach, because I knew from experience it would end in rejection. I widened my umbrella and queried more agents. After a few months, I decided to send it to a mid-sized publisher who accepted non-agented proposals.

I was incredibly surprised when they made me an offer, and I wasn't sure how to react. I contacted the agents to let them know about the offer. Suddenly it was a flurry of activity as agents rushed to read my book. I got more requests in those two weeks than I'd had in months of querying, and that's saying something. There's no surer way to get an agent's attention than by telling them of someone else's interest. It was crazy. Surreal that querying could take so long, only to have everyone want it at once.

Rachel Marks called me the very next morning after I let her know about the offer of publication. At first, I wasn't even sure if she was offering representation. I'd talked with agents on the phone before, only to have them request revisions. I was a mess of nerves on the phone call with her, but she actually got my book. The changes she put forward meshed with my vision for it. Her personality and mine matched well. Anyone who likes Disney is a friend of mine ;) She recommended I turn down the offer of publication so we could pursue other options, which was what I really wanted.

As other agents came forward, I kept comparing them to Rachel. I knew she wanted what was best for me, my book and my career. I signed with her not long after that and now I'm working on revisions. So, it's been a long process. Longer than I would have liked, but honestly, I am incredibly happy with how things have worked out so far. Full speed ahead!

*     *     *

Tiana Smith is a young adult author represented by Rachel Marks of Rebecca Friedman Literary. She makes a mean box of Mac & Cheese and likes to play around with graphic and web design. She firmly believes in happily ever afters and is married to her own Prince Charming. She doesn't blog a whole lot, but when she does, it's at tianasmith.com. She loves to connect online:

How I Got My Agent: Brianna Shrum

To finish off our week of "How I Got My Agent" stories, I'm thrilled to have the very cool Brianna Shrum here to tell us her story of how she snagged her amazing agent. But first, I have to say Happy Book Release to Brianna whose novel NEVER NEVER released this week. I simply love the cover, don't you?

Take it away, Brianna!!

****

Hey all!! So, my agent story!

I’ve been writing for several years, and after having sold two books, found myself in the querying trenches again. Being there once is tough and nerve-wracking. Being there *again* is BLERGH. SO VERY BLERGH.

But that’s where I was at the beginning of the year. I tossed my hat in the ring, because I believed in my book, and that was worth diving in again.


                      


It was an edgy book—super dark and intense and pushing the line on everything, and so wildly different from anything else I’d ever written, such that I was pretty terrified to query it, honestly. But I *believed* in it. My CPs believed in it. So I queried.

I got several rejections right away, which WOMP womppppp. And those first rejections are so disheartening. Like, “CRAP. WHAT IF EVERY SINGLE AGENT FEELS THIS WAY?” But then a few requests started to trickle in. From agents I LOVED.

One night, after a couple rejections, I was perusing around and came across this absolute dream agent’s website. Their guideline had you fill out a form and attach the full right off the bat. So I just kind of went, “LOL ok, I’ll do this. Then I can be like, ‘Well I *do* have a full out with Dream Agent.’” I was this close to writing myself off with them before I sent it. But I didn’t, because what if?

                                 


Fast forward a couple weeks later. I had a phone call. With an agent I would’ve been thrilled to be repped by. AAAH. But it was an R and R. It was a very small R and R, one I was able to do over the weekend. So I turned it in, and a week later, I got another phone call from him. IT WAS AN OFFER THIS TIME. This agent was incredible and savvy and SO personable. So I told him I wanted to give the other agents a week, sent out my, “Yo peeps, I have an offer!” e-mail, contacted clients, and all that jazz.

WELL, two days before my deadline, I got an e-mail from the agent I’d sent the form and automatic full to. The one I almost wrote myself off with and didn’t query? Yeah, him. He was asking me questions, and had me send a previous manuscript to him as well. Then the day of my deadline, we scheduled a call. I knew immediately that I wanted to sign with him. He got my career vision, and believed in my book and in me, and I felt 100% secure tossing my whole career into his hands.

                     

SO, before he actually offered, he had to get off the phone and then call me back.

I spent the thirty minutes between call #1 and callback pacing and nervous-crying and “BAHHHH WHAT IS HAPPENING.” Then he called me back and I actually thought at first that he was telling me he’d changed his mind and didn’t want to offer.

                    


But clearly I suck at interpreting tone of voice, because he offered rep on the phone. I adored and greatly respected both agents, but I knew I had to go with him. I accepted. I’m now represented by Josh Adams at Adams Literary ^_^

                     

So you know, sometimes there are big bumps in the road and things don’t go the way you expect, but if you have something you believe in, it’d be a crime not to push forward. And please, WHATEVER you do, never ever write yourself off. Never assume it won’t go well for you, because what if it would have? Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, take a risk, and believe in yourself, peeps.

---Bri out.


Links:

http://briannashrum.com

http://www.amazon.com/Never-Brianna-Shrum/dp/1633920399/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1443737957&sr=8-3&keywords=never+never

How I Got My Agent: Julie C. Dao

As writers, we may feel discouraged at times, especially if we are trying to get an agent and are stuck in the query trenches. But the key is to never give up! Today, we have another awesome "How I Got My Agent" story from the wonderful Julie Dao. Take it away, Julie!

****

There are lots of different paths to getting an agent.

Some are straight and narrow. Perfectly paved, maybe even made of yellow brick. There might be singing and dancing and lollipops right up to the main gates.

Other paths have bumps. Potholes. R.O.U.S.’s. Roundabouts and rotaries (whichever word you prefer) that only take you right back to where you started.

My path was definitely of the pothole/R.O.U.S./roundabout variety.

But you know what? I got there eventually. That’s the key word. Whether your fate is on Easy Street or in the Fire Swamp, the destination is the same and you will get there. It just might take a little bit longer.

The book I finally signed with in February of this year was my fifth one written, second one queried. It’s called ELEGY, and it’s a young adult Gothic suspense flavored with ghosts, music, and French chateaus. It was – and is – the book of my heart.

When I took it out into the world in 2013, there was a lot of fanfare.

My CPs swore up and down that this would be THE BOOK. I got accepted into every contest I entered: Pitch Wars, Cupid’s Literary Connection, and The Writer’s Voice. Suddenly, agents who were way out of my league sat up and took notice. For every three queries I sent, I would get 1-2 full requests. I had an 80% request rate at one point – crazy odds for a girl who’d queried one other book prior and gotten nothing but crickets.

But then I started racking up the rejections. I spent another year fixing and polishing and querying every so often. I asked my CPs to read a zillion versions of the story, and I fixed and polished it some more.

FINALLY, something happened. An agent emailed, asking: “Can we talk on the phone?” But all of my happy dancing was for naught, because it was just a revise-and-resubmit (R&R) call. Still, this was a door open! And when I got a call from a second agent, asking for similar fixes, I knew I HAD to try.

Six months later (yes, SIX), I finished the revision. I asked everyone who had my full whether they wanted the new draft, and they all said yes. I turned it in to the two R&R agents, and the first one responded within minutes, telling me how excited she was. But a week later, she emailed again to say she wanted more extensive revisions before she could even consider offering representation. Right after that email came in, I got five rejections from other people I’d been crossing my fingers for.

It was a crushing blow. I think the worst part was knowing how close I had come: close enough to expect an offer, close enough for busy agents to call and help me fix my book. Close, but STILL not there.

They say you need a thick skin in this business, but even a thick skin can wear down over time. So in January, after a dozen more rejections (and silence from the second R&R agent, who, as it turns out, had left the business), I threw in the towel, even though I still had fulls out.

I was unhappy and discouraged, and I felt more so every time I heard about someone else getting signed within hours/days/weeks. I had been trying for YEARS. I felt like a fraud, and I felt like I wasn’t talented or deserving enough. At last, everyone who had ever mocked my dream – including my own father – had been proven right.

It was a dark time, but I told myself I wasn’t *really* giving up. I was just taking time off to remember how much I loved this. So I joined Wattpad and happily started writing an awesome new story, hoping to build a readership to encourage myself.

That was when The Call came, on a bleak February afternoon when eight feet of snow coated the sidewalks. I returned from a meeting to find a voicemail from an AWESOME agent, one of those “way-out-of-my-league” agents. I had never even dared to query her, and she only had ELEGY because she’d requested it through #PitMad the year before.

I tried to protect myself and temper my expectations by saying, “It’s gonna be another R&R,” but that stupid, stubborn heart of mine insisted on hoping.

The agent put me at ease right away. We laughed and joked and it felt more like a conversation, not a Phone Call. She talked about her vision for the book and made excellent suggestions on what she thought could change. And then she asked me how I felt about her ideas. When I told her they lined up well with my own, she said the magic words.

"Sooooo... am I taking you on as a client?"

I screamed. (Inside. I didn't want to scare her!)

She suggested I take time to think. So I spent a week and a half nudging everyone else, and within days I got a second offer of representation from Writers House.

There was a lot of crying during this time – a lot of joy and heartache and relief. I was at my lowest point in January, convinced that I’d never even get close to seeing my book on a shelf. And in a few weeks’ time, I had somehow bagged two unbelievable offers.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, don’t give up even if it seems hopeless right now. If things get to be too much, take a step back. Stop reading other people’s agent fairy tales, because we all have different timelines and there’s simply no rhyme or reason to it.

Just because it takes longer for us for some strange, cosmic reason, does NOT mean we are any less talented or deserving. It just means that when things DO happen for us, victory will taste all the sweeter for how hard we worked and how long we waited. Remember you are doing this for love – love for the words you put on the page, love for the worlds inside your head and the people you create whose hearts beat in pen-and-ink. Keep going and don’t stop. If I can do it, you can do it.

Oh, and I ended up signing with the awesome agent who offered first, Tamar Rydzinski of the Laura Dail Literary Agency!

Julie C. Dao is a native New Englander who once studied to become a doctor – until she realized the only surgery she should be doing is revising her manuscripts. Though she is anything but a musical prodigy, she likes to write about them and relive her days as an orchestra geek. When she’s not working on her books, she enjoys reading, going for long runs, and beating everyone at Pictionary. She is represented by Tamar Rydzinski of the Laura Dail Literary Agency. Visit her blog at juliedao.com.

How I Got My Agent : Summer Spence

The "How I Got My Agent" posts were pretty popular last time, so I've decided to bring them back because, let's face it, who doesn't love to read these stories? As I'm working on an R&R for an agent, I especially find them inspiring, and I hope you will too.

The amazing Summer Spence is here today to share with us her story of how she hooked her agent. Take it away, Summer!

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My "How I Got My Agent" story is a long, blood-and-tears tale of epic highs and lows, driven by two things: persistence and chocolate. Without those two essential ingredients, I would still be wishing for an agent, instead of sending the wonderful Heather Flaherty at The Bent Agency too many annoying emails.

When I started my book, OF NIGHT AND STONE, I had no idea it would even BE a book. I wrote on the train everyday on my way to work, to pass the time. I've always loved storytelling – I have a degree in Theatre – and the train ride was LONG. So I wrote. Usually whatever came to mind. Sometimes about the fantastically funny people on the train with me. But then, one gloomy fall day, I was in a creepy mood, and the beginning of a spooky story popped out. I didn't know what was going to happen next… but I had to find out. I chased that story every day on the train, writing until my fingers cramped and I groaned when I got to my stop.

In the end, I had a very messy manuscript. And I LOVED it. I wanted to share it, this little world that had burst from my fingertips. But I knew it needed work. So I started editing. That took a LOOOOOOONG time. Too long.

But listen – EDITING IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART – and the part that I screwed up. I got anxious. My concept was fresh. My setting was creeptastic. My characters were real people to me. I wanted this thing out there! So I started to query… before I even knew about beta readers or critique partners or character arcs or any of the thousands of craft things I had to learn still.

I got requests. A lot of them. I joined Twitter. I found a wonderful community of writers who all seemed light years ahead of me. They gushed about the revisions they were able to do with the help of their CPs. And it hit me – I had sent my baby into the world too soon. Sure, my mom loved my book. So did my best friend. But they didn't know anything about the craft of storytelling. Ooops.

The rejections came in. (This is where the chocolate was needed.) I developed a nervous tick whenever my email notification dinged. I dug through my book, trying to fix all of the things I suddenly knew were not great. And I got overwhelmed.

Luckily, I found out about Brenda Drake's Pitch Wars contest. (See http://www.brenda-drake.com/pitch-wars/ for details on the contest). I submitted, and I was lucky enough to get in. I gained a fabulous mentor and friend, Evelyn Skye, and her objective eye helped me whip my book into shape.

Sounds easy, right? Like this would be the fairy tale ending. All that hard work had to pay off soon! The Pitch Wars agent round came and I got great requests. I also started querying again in earnest.

And I got rejections. Wonderful, kind rejections. With no clues as to what I could fix. I thought if I heard "this is great, you are so talented, it's just not for me" one more time, I might pull every key off my computer and throw it into the ocean.

I'm not going to lie; at this point, I wanted to give up. But by this time, I had made some wonderful writer friends who wouldn't let me. (PSA – Get some of those!) They told me what every querying writer HATES to hear – "you just haven't found the right agent, yet!"

And they were right. Because then I queried Heather. And everything started going in fast-forward. She was enthusiastic, responsive, and something about this time just felt different.

When I got her email that she wanted to talk about my book (was it THE CALL? Was it NOT? OMGGGGGG), I thought I would explode. Little bits of Summer all over the ceiling. I managed to keep myself together though, and I'm so glad! Because she offered rep and said so many smart things about my book and what she thought we could make it into together, that I was smitten.

The moral of the story is one I'm sure you're sick of hearing. DON'T GIVE UP. Keep pushing. Meet other writers. Learn from them. Improve your craft. Be honest with yourself. If you've written a dystopian vampire romance, you may need to hold onto that one until the market isn’t so saturated. Use everything you write for your own profit and learning. I have rewritten SO MUCH of my book SO MANY TIMES. It has evolved. As have I. And I am so grateful.

And guess what? Now that I have an agent… I'm STILL revising. I'm going to make this book the absolute best thing I can and then send it out into the world again. And I really, really hope some of you will be able to read it someday!

Until then, I live on words and chocolate! <3

Summer Spence is a YA author living in scenic Utah (and always pining for California, her true home). She began her storytelling career on stage as an actor, where she fell in love with words and the beautiful challenge of creating human beings out of them. When she's not dreaming up imaginary worlds, she loves to be out exploring this one. While she has yet to convince her husband and kids that camping is just reading outdoors, or that the beach is only fun with a book, they all agree that chocolate is an absolute must for every adventure!

Summer is represented by Heather Flaherty at The Bent Agency.