A few years ago I was living in LA. I went to a party by myself in a long black dress, stood with glass of red wine on the top of some very fancy steps, and smiled at a man who was soon to become my acting agent. Can I act? No. Have I ever wanted to act? No. Why did I sign with an acting agent? I thought it would be an easy way to make money (it wasn't). Why did he sign me? Because I had an Australian accent and he "didn't have one of those yet". Maybe I should start my literary query letters with "G'day mate".
Haha Bethany, that is a great story! Agents are just looking for something to sell, and sometimes that something is you… not even your writing, just you. Philip Gwyn Jones ended up taking Magnus Mills ‘The Restraint of Beasts’ as their big splash debut (great book) because they could market *him* because he was a bus driver.
Guess this is what has come out of the various articles looking at trad/self publishing, with notes about celebrity books dominating publishing sales. I appreciate your balanced and experienced insights into this subject by the way - but yes, seems like in capitalism all our parts are for sale.
I loved agents enough to become one, plus I’ve been married to one for over 50 years. I’ve learned that people at parties would much rather talk to an agent than a writer; that though it’s a wonderful job there’s no way you can get replies from some editors, however amusing your nagging; that publishing is full of people who succeed despite having no taste, discernment, professionalism, or manners; that we - agents and writers - can only console ourselves by remembering that all judgements are entirely subjective; and that if you think publishing is full of louses, just wait till you try the film business. Why do we do it? What else does someone with no qualifications, but who has confidence, contacts, and chutzpah do?
It’s the perfect career for anyone with those qualities! Thank you (and your wife) for helping writers get published. I have really appreciated *all* my agents, even when it didn’t work out.
First, I got weirdly lucky in getting an agent without trying. He just happened to be the stepfather of a young woman I had mentored years before. I met him at a gallery, opening one night, and we wound up talking, found out we knew each other through her, and when he told me he was an agent, I told him I was an author and a few weeks later we had a signed agreement.
I know that's a really weird situation, but that's how it worked out for me.
Next, I just wanted to share that hearing about the trials and tribulations of your novel reminded me of a good friend who has been going through a living nightmare of having written a brilliant novel that's probably a little too smart (and feminist, and post-modern, and thus probably unmarketable) for its own good.
I read her first draft a decade ago and haven't stopped thinking about it since. But no one seems to think there's a market for this kind of thing so she's getting rejection after rejection and feeling rather hopeless about it at present. Her agent is trying, but not getting anywhere.
This weekend we're getting together to package up the MS into something we share with a small group of readers we believe will actually get it and love it as passionately as I do. It was fun reading about the potential of that DIY strategy in your piece.
Anyway, so glad I stumbled on your work here. Thank you!
So your agent was a serendipity catch too, how cool! Oh, I like the sound of that novel. Something that stays with you that long just has to be amazing.
Let me know if you want to be one of the proud and the few who read it before it gets officially published. I'm pretty sure I could send you the first chapter with her permission. 🤓
How I loved this one. I'll admit, I'm half in love with my hairdresser. J (yes, just the initial - he's Jason in full, but wisely abbreviates it), has been cutting my hair for years. I too am a wash-and-go fan, I never use a dryer and he always tells me my hair is in such good condition because of it. He loves cutting - so I only go every four months so he has plenty to cut which he loves, and he always gives me a layered sort of bob, that grows out well once it hits my collar. I could never get this good a haircut except from a bloke. And J is a real bloke, we talk about movies and telly and David Bowie, plus our children and beer and never any hairdresser cliches. I'll forgive him for being a Star Wars fan, (I'm a Trekker), but I am envious of his 'shed' out the back which has a projector, and bar. The salon is kitted out with turntable, plenty of vinyl, an array of Star Wars and 007 paraphenalia and more. No wonder his clientele are so utterly devoted.
He sounds an absolute gem of perfection! And I really love that you accidently posted this on the wrong post, given that the hairdresser post was about accidental errors! :-D
Well, it does turn out the comparative essay I linked to makes many excellent explanatory points - but it seems the Chinese (ESL, Mainland or elsewhere) author wasn't carefully editing out typos. In any case it's a kind of life-affirming energy I sense goes much deeper than only that kind of positivity (overall, not necessarily about quotidian annoyances!) and the essay does explore that, with some relevant quotations from Lawrence and the Taoist texts.
Also contrasts with the kind of "Death-force" / Thanatos we see littering the planet with pointless violence and disrespect for nature and animals, so it is a definite plus for anyone, Ros!
I’ve been trying to find my path in writing and I’m still at the beginning stages of the whole thing. This post helped to clarify a few things for me so thank you. I wish writing was just writing sometimes.
Thank you, Carlos! The key thing is finding someone who loves what you do with a passion. It’s their passion that will sell it to someone else. Half-hearted agents are pointless.
Like your writing. I am not ready for an agent yet. Question. Where is this heart I am supposed to click? I have scanned up and down the article and on my laptop there are no hearts. Should I have read it 'in the app'?
Hi Dave, thanks! The heart? When I check on my email copy, the 'like' heart is just under the title (below my name) and also at the bottom (under the 'upgrade to paid' button).
Haha. I find it so hard to resist making everything into a joke. My husband says I'm unbearable since I attended a stand-up comedy course a few years ago, because I'm always looking for a punchline.
A few years ago I was living in LA. I went to a party by myself in a long black dress, stood with glass of red wine on the top of some very fancy steps, and smiled at a man who was soon to become my acting agent. Can I act? No. Have I ever wanted to act? No. Why did I sign with an acting agent? I thought it would be an easy way to make money (it wasn't). Why did he sign me? Because I had an Australian accent and he "didn't have one of those yet". Maybe I should start my literary query letters with "G'day mate".
Haha Bethany, that is a great story! Agents are just looking for something to sell, and sometimes that something is you… not even your writing, just you. Philip Gwyn Jones ended up taking Magnus Mills ‘The Restraint of Beasts’ as their big splash debut (great book) because they could market *him* because he was a bus driver.
Guess this is what has come out of the various articles looking at trad/self publishing, with notes about celebrity books dominating publishing sales. I appreciate your balanced and experienced insights into this subject by the way - but yes, seems like in capitalism all our parts are for sale.
I loved agents enough to become one, plus I’ve been married to one for over 50 years. I’ve learned that people at parties would much rather talk to an agent than a writer; that though it’s a wonderful job there’s no way you can get replies from some editors, however amusing your nagging; that publishing is full of people who succeed despite having no taste, discernment, professionalism, or manners; that we - agents and writers - can only console ourselves by remembering that all judgements are entirely subjective; and that if you think publishing is full of louses, just wait till you try the film business. Why do we do it? What else does someone with no qualifications, but who has confidence, contacts, and chutzpah do?
It’s the perfect career for anyone with those qualities! Thank you (and your wife) for helping writers get published. I have really appreciated *all* my agents, even when it didn’t work out.
First, I got weirdly lucky in getting an agent without trying. He just happened to be the stepfather of a young woman I had mentored years before. I met him at a gallery, opening one night, and we wound up talking, found out we knew each other through her, and when he told me he was an agent, I told him I was an author and a few weeks later we had a signed agreement.
I know that's a really weird situation, but that's how it worked out for me.
Next, I just wanted to share that hearing about the trials and tribulations of your novel reminded me of a good friend who has been going through a living nightmare of having written a brilliant novel that's probably a little too smart (and feminist, and post-modern, and thus probably unmarketable) for its own good.
I read her first draft a decade ago and haven't stopped thinking about it since. But no one seems to think there's a market for this kind of thing so she's getting rejection after rejection and feeling rather hopeless about it at present. Her agent is trying, but not getting anywhere.
This weekend we're getting together to package up the MS into something we share with a small group of readers we believe will actually get it and love it as passionately as I do. It was fun reading about the potential of that DIY strategy in your piece.
Anyway, so glad I stumbled on your work here. Thank you!
So your agent was a serendipity catch too, how cool! Oh, I like the sound of that novel. Something that stays with you that long just has to be amazing.
Let me know if you want to be one of the proud and the few who read it before it gets officially published. I'm pretty sure I could send you the first chapter with her permission. 🤓
How I loved this one. I'll admit, I'm half in love with my hairdresser. J (yes, just the initial - he's Jason in full, but wisely abbreviates it), has been cutting my hair for years. I too am a wash-and-go fan, I never use a dryer and he always tells me my hair is in such good condition because of it. He loves cutting - so I only go every four months so he has plenty to cut which he loves, and he always gives me a layered sort of bob, that grows out well once it hits my collar. I could never get this good a haircut except from a bloke. And J is a real bloke, we talk about movies and telly and David Bowie, plus our children and beer and never any hairdresser cliches. I'll forgive him for being a Star Wars fan, (I'm a Trekker), but I am envious of his 'shed' out the back which has a projector, and bar. The salon is kitted out with turntable, plenty of vinyl, an array of Star Wars and 007 paraphenalia and more. No wonder his clientele are so utterly devoted.
He sounds an absolute gem of perfection! And I really love that you accidently posted this on the wrong post, given that the hairdresser post was about accidental errors! :-D
I think whatever else is going on, you have some serious "Lawrentian Life Force Energy," and that's really rare!
https://oak.jejunu.ac.kr/bitstream/2020.oak/4123/2/A%20Comparative%20Study%20of%20Lawrentian%20and%20Taoidtic%20Ideas.pdf
https://www.123helpme.com/essay/D-H-Lawrence-18158
^^^^^ "Friend or foe of the feminist movement? " etc.
That's not something that's been levelled at me before; will investigate and consider!
Well, it does turn out the comparative essay I linked to makes many excellent explanatory points - but it seems the Chinese (ESL, Mainland or elsewhere) author wasn't carefully editing out typos. In any case it's a kind of life-affirming energy I sense goes much deeper than only that kind of positivity (overall, not necessarily about quotidian annoyances!) and the essay does explore that, with some relevant quotations from Lawrence and the Taoist texts.
Also contrasts with the kind of "Death-force" / Thanatos we see littering the planet with pointless violence and disrespect for nature and animals, so it is a definite plus for anyone, Ros!
Really loved this, Ros! Reassuring, and couldn't be better timed for me!
Thanks, Katherine. That is good news!
Too be continued? Seriously, Ros? You should turn this into a novel. I want to know how it ends.
So do I!
I’ve been trying to find my path in writing and I’m still at the beginning stages of the whole thing. This post helped to clarify a few things for me so thank you. I wish writing was just writing sometimes.
I guess I am enjoying writing being just writing on Substack! I’m glad you found the post helpful.
What a ride! Thank you for sharing this. I’ve yet to find an agent but it’s illuminating hearing your journey.
Thank you, Carlos! The key thing is finding someone who loves what you do with a passion. It’s their passion that will sell it to someone else. Half-hearted agents are pointless.
Like your writing. I am not ready for an agent yet. Question. Where is this heart I am supposed to click? I have scanned up and down the article and on my laptop there are no hearts. Should I have read it 'in the app'?
Hi Dave, thanks! The heart? When I check on my email copy, the 'like' heart is just under the title (below my name) and also at the bottom (under the 'upgrade to paid' button).
I love this post so much!!! 🤩 I got Agent 1 easily, then got ‘handed off’ to Agent 2, and now…no idea??? This was such a reassuring read!
Haha, thanks Mary! It can be a bumpy old road for sure!
Obsessed with this title
Haha. I find it so hard to resist making everything into a joke. My husband says I'm unbearable since I attended a stand-up comedy course a few years ago, because I'm always looking for a punchline.
Haha there’s no going back after attending a comedy course
"If there’s anything you want to ask me, please reach out."
I do that and then I get slapped.