Your Agent Ain't Your Mother

 print by Linda Hunsaker

http://www.LindaHunsaker.com

I started thinking the other day about agents.  I've had an excellent agent, I've had a very bad, back-stabbing agent, a mediocre agent and no agent.  But, regardless of how it all turns out with your agent, what is it exactly you should expect of him or her?

Well, for one thing, this is a business relationship.  It's not that it can't be friendly, cordial, even turning into a close relationship, but it is business.  And as a business, you agent is in it to make money.  It isn't a crime, a personal affront or any other negative thing you can imagine, it's simply a fact of life.  No money, no business and you would have no representation.  There it is.

Another thing is your agent isn't there to be your mommy or daddy or to hold your hand (although some may at times hold your hand).  Still, that isn't their job.  It isn't required that he or she encourage, support or sooth your wounded feelings.  It's not their job to validate your creative angst or to love and cherish you.   The bald-faced truth is no one cares about your career as much as you do.  So what that  means is the agent is focused on selling your work and making you some money (him or herself as well).  The burden of everything else, including where your artistic asperations are taking you, your income, the reputation you are building and your own professional satisfaction rests exclusively with you.  Sorry, but that's the truth.

Many writers, because of their relationship with their agent and because that agent is a part of the commercial mechanism that gets a book to market, expect too much from their agents.  Many remember seeing agents in movies or TV shows where the agent is just about 'baby-sitter in residence' with the writer.  Such images are unrealistic and the writer needs desperately to  keep the relationship in context.  Just because an agent doesn't return a call or  has a reaction to a new work that isn't as wildly enthusiastic as you'd like doesn't mean you should allow it to affect your own sense of self-worth.  The agent is another link in the chain.  Hopefully a strong and good one, but they aren't always right, and they aren't often available for that hand-holding.

A writer must develop a very strong working relationship with his or her agent, understand that (shock!) the agent has other clients and sometimes that call will not get returned and will have to be placed again.  No insult, just busy.  Writers are, by nature, vulnerable folks.  But, if you can create a solid understanding of the relationship between writer and agent, if only intellectually and not in your gut, things that are perceived as slights or even body-blows will be lessened.

So go out there and find yourself an agent if you're ready - just remember business is the name of the game - it may well be cordial but it is business.


 To Hell and Back

Writer's Thoughts

And at the moment they are few, scattered, and someone unconnected.  I don't mean to harp on this recovery thing, but truth of the matter is it's taking longer than I first anticipated.  I'm normally a quick healer, but this has been the deepest pit from hell.  Appendectomies are not fun, infections less so, and antibiotics make everything taste really, really bad.

So, as I'm wont to do, I've been having a conversation with myself. 

"So, self, how're we doing?  How do we feel?"

"Pretty much like crap -- go away."

"Can't, we're together through thick and thin, like it or not."

"Hmmm, okay, then, shut up."

"Nope.  Brain is a pretty busy place during this trying time.  Thoughts churning, memories regenerating, apprehensions flying past."

"Okay, so why're we having this conversation then?"

"Well, one reason is I've come to the conclusion that I'm glad I planned for an event such as this - at least a little bit - and want to pass my sage wisdom on.   If you're a writer, freelance, you need to accept that there will be times when you won't have work or can't work and you must have a fall-back.  I've made it a policy to put aside a small percentage of every writing check I receive, no matter how small, in a separate savings account to be used at such times.  An emergency fund."

"Well, pat you on the back," self replied.

"Actually, yes," I shot back, "at least I'm not panicking on the monetary front.  We'll have to wait and see how much the insurance company wants to 'deny' or rip me off for before I can really applaud, but for the moment I'm not in a bad place - and I haven't been able to work for about 3 1/2 weeks. 

"Okay," Self admits, "so at least you took the sting out of that one."

" Exactly.  It's sort of like taxing yourself.  5%, 10%, it doesn't matter what you take from your earnings for your fund, it adds up if you always take it first and don't touch it unless an emergency pops up.  Then, joy of joys, it's there when you need it."

"Okay, so are you done now, can I go back to sleep?"

"Sure, why not, time for a bit of rest.  Soon there'll be another helpful writing post."

Writer vs. the Appendectomy

Just home from the hospital after my second stay in as many weeks due to an appendectomy and secondary infection. 

Boy, let me suggest, if you haven't done this, don't bother!

Hard to describe the pain involved and here I am a writer. 

Needless to say I haven't been doing too much writing - or reading - or much of anything else. Have finally turned the corner and am feeling much better - hope to have a happy, quiet holiday.

Have a script to show an interested party, have some projects on the burner and more writing assignments coming up after the first of the year.

I'll return to post soon with more writing tips and ideas.

Happy Holidays all!

Appendectomy is bitch

Recoverying from one -- will post again as soon as my brain will work.

The Writer's Plague - Where the Heck Are These People?

Yes, it's true, we writers have to consider every angle, every nuance of every scene we write.  Not only do our characters have to speak in a manner that matches their personality, no only do we have to describe them, their quirks and wardrobe, but we have to make sure everyone reading knows exactly where they are.

Country, city, ocean desert?  Which and we have to  make it interesting, colorful and engaging.

Think about this simple sentence.  Mary ran after Jim.

Well, yes, maybe she did, but how did she run?  Did she limp or trot or lunge or pound?  And even more important to this piece, what was she running on?  Grass, concrete, gravel, pavement, snow, sand, pine needles?  Can she feel it under foot?

As for Jim, why's she running after him; I mean how is he moving away from her?  Walking, driving a Ferrari, a VW bus?  Riding in a carriage or taking off in a spaceship.  Maybe he was kidnapped by Aliens?  Is he moving at a 'furious' gait, simply strolling, or being whisked away?

Another thing to consider when describing your location is to keep in mind the sensory details that make it the place it is.  Are leaves and twigs slapping Mary in the face as she runs?  If she's running in an old warehouse is there a distinctive smell?  Is she following in the wake of Jim's Old Spice aftershave?  Maybe, if they're in a zoo there are animal smells wafting on the air.

Are there any sounds that might be heard.  Machinery clanking in the background, the sounds of the surf pounding the shore, rolling thunder, the sound of the engine as Jim starts up his Ferrari, the wind in the trees?  

All of these things add flavor and texture to your story. 

And, again, that famous tightrope.  How much is enough and how much is too much?  That, dear writer is for you to decide.  You want enough to be engaging, but not so much that the reader is thinking, "enough already, get on with the story!"

And, by the way, a great cover on my Ebook adult fantasy, Stormrider.  This was one where I really  hand fun with laying in the background. Check it out and follow the link to an excerpt. 

New Post Coming Soon

Hi there,

I'm totally swamped at the moment, but have been thinking about my blog.  A new post will come soon.

Meanwhile, I'm off to mail a copy of my book "The Eye Of The Hawk" to a young lady who won it in a contest.  Congratulations, enjoy the read.

Back very soon with another fresh post on writing and the writing life.

Take care everyone!

Ebook Reader Revolution??

Hey, have you all been watching this?  Are you aware that rumbling around in the background is a growing Ebook Reader 'war'?

After all this time, Ebooks appear to be coming into their own.  It looks like the future is exploding upon us.

First we had Amazon's Kindle.  Now more are following. Asus is going to offer us a new, more economical version (or so I hear) by the end of the year. Looks way cool, but I'm going to have to keep an eye on that one and see what features  it actually offers on release before I get too excited.

Then there's the new Barnes & Noble Nook.  They say it's the 'most advanced Ebook Reader in the World'.  Don't know if I buy that, and even if it's true now, how long will that be?

Moving on, there's the Sony Ebook Reader.  I have no experience with that one other than running across them occasionally in Borders bookstores.

Something is rumbling around at Apple, but it's hard to tell exactly what.  I, myself, usually find Apple to be a bit pricy. They also have what I've heard  called a Netbook.

The Zii Media book shows some real promise - I'm eager to see what that will offer for sure. A fully featured tablet with a color touch screen? Cool!

It's hard to tell right now what the future holds here.  I'm rooting for something really good and reasonably priced.  So far they've been too expensive when I can just use my laptop that only cost $450 and can do everything as opposed to say $250 for a dedicated reader that does only that.  But, I'm open!  In fact, I really do want an Ebook reader.

Problem is, they need to get a common platform so consumers can download from many sources, just like you can walk into any bookstore and pick up a book.  This dedicated thing where you can buy only from the source where you got the reader really is bad news.

Fascinating, no?  Hope you have fun checking them out...and maybe digging up something I've missed.