Comments on: Why I never want to be an agent http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/04/21/why-i-never-want-to-be-an-agent/ writing, reading, eating, drinking, sport Fri, 25 May 2012 05:19:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Kathleen http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/04/21/why-i-never-want-to-be-an-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-78303 Kathleen Wed, 22 Apr 2009 02:47:08 +0000 http://justinelarbalestier.com/?p=3778#comment-78303 I thought the 'emotional' form rejections were interesting too. I can't decide if these writers really would prefer a rejection letter like that or if they were just afraid of upsetting other writers. Anytime I've gotten those sort of letters for my writing or a job application I scan for 'unfortunately'. Unless there is specific feedback, all I want is a 'yes' or 'no'. I thought the ‘emotional’ form rejections were interesting too. I can’t decide if these writers really would prefer a rejection letter like that or if they were just afraid of upsetting other writers.

Anytime I’ve gotten those sort of letters for my writing or a job application I scan for ‘unfortunately’. Unless there is specific feedback, all I want is a ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

]]> By: Mary Elizabeth S. http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/04/21/why-i-never-want-to-be-an-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-78301 Mary Elizabeth S. Wed, 22 Apr 2009 02:27:56 +0000 http://justinelarbalestier.com/?p=3778#comment-78301 What a cool exercise!! I'm showing up way late in the game, but I'm going to go through it, just to see what it's like on the agent's side. I've always wondered what my stories look like from that side of the street. Now maybe I'll get an idea. :) ~Mary What a cool exercise!! I’m showing up way late in the game, but I’m going to go through it, just to see what it’s like on the agent’s side. I’ve always wondered what my stories look like from that side of the street. Now maybe I’ll get an idea. :)

~Mary

]]> By: Annalee Flower Horne http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/04/21/why-i-never-want-to-be-an-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-78285 Annalee Flower Horne Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:59:54 +0000 http://justinelarbalestier.com/?p=3778#comment-78285 I think a lot of the participants--and I certainly include myself in this--reacted the way we did because we forgot that there were real people on the other side of those queries. In the safe anonymity of Nathan's blog, shielded from the kind of responses that a real agent would get for being that mean, we fell prey to one of the easiest ***hatteries of the internet: being rude because there were no consequences. Like the participants in several famous psych studies, I found myself more than a little shocked when I went back and reviewed my behavior. I wasn't anywhere near as mean as some other participants, but that's hardly a justification. I didn't treat the queriers as I would have had them treat me, and that was wrong. I am ashamed of myself for having behaved that way. I think a lot of the participants–and I certainly include myself in this–reacted the way we did because we forgot that there were real people on the other side of those queries. In the safe anonymity of Nathan’s blog, shielded from the kind of responses that a real agent would get for being that mean, we fell prey to one of the easiest ***hatteries of the internet: being rude because there were no consequences.

Like the participants in several famous psych studies, I found myself more than a little shocked when I went back and reviewed my behavior. I wasn’t anywhere near as mean as some other participants, but that’s hardly a justification. I didn’t treat the queriers as I would have had them treat me, and that was wrong. I am ashamed of myself for having behaved that way.

]]> By: Mary http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/04/21/why-i-never-want-to-be-an-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-78283 Mary Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:37:55 +0000 http://justinelarbalestier.com/?p=3778#comment-78283 I've worked for two literary agencies. One I stopped working for, the next I'm still very happily involved with. The first utilized me on the slush. All I did was read crazy queries. And it was the best fun ever for the first three days. "Oooh! Look! A book about sheep humping drag queens who win the lottery!" Then it got awful. I saw the same mistakes over and over, the same awful thriller concepts. At the agency I'm with now, I read full requests, client manuscripts, revisions... the fun stuff. And that's what has made me seriously consider agenting at some point in the future. The slush? I'll pull a lesson from my past and put an eager intern on it. =) I’ve worked for two literary agencies. One I stopped working for, the next I’m still very happily involved with. The first utilized me on the slush. All I did was read crazy queries. And it was the best fun ever for the first three days. “Oooh! Look! A book about sheep humping drag queens who win the lottery!” Then it got awful. I saw the same mistakes over and over, the same awful thriller concepts.

At the agency I’m with now, I read full requests, client manuscripts, revisions… the fun stuff. And that’s what has made me seriously consider agenting at some point in the future. The slush? I’ll pull a lesson from my past and put an eager intern on it. =)

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