On the Hunt
Well, now that the travel is done, and I’m caught up with everything that had to be done, I’m starting to seriously look for a new agent. [OLD NEWS: My agent closed her agency and stopped agenting a few weeks ago. I didn't blog about it, because I was busy dealing with getting three non-fiction articles finished and turned in, traveling, and finishing yet another round of edits to get the ending of my book right.]
I feel…meh…about it. My agent and I had been working to get my latest book polished up to breakout level, and I am slightly derailed on getting it out now that I am over the moon about the new ending to the book (which totally surprised me and I will talk about this more when I have a publishing date).
Having to get a new agent is like having to get a new job. You have to brush up the resume, put on the good clothes, and present yourself as if you know you are going to rock the world of whatever company you want to hire you. At the same time, since you have been laid off, fired, or disillusioned enough to seek employment, you know that a job is a job, you’re good at it, but the likelihood of being trusted and appreciated by your new company is as much of a crapshoot as it was being trusted and appreciated by your old company.
I’ve had quite a few regular jobs in my life, so I am familiar with the process of brushing up the resume and trying to figure out how to present my skills and accomplishments proudly, but without bragging. It takes me a while, because my tendency is to underplay everything I do. After about three passes, I finally get everything the way I like it and begin sending out resumes, hoping to get a job and *never* have to update my resume again.
I have also had five agents (technically four, one twice), so I’ve gone through the hunt before. I would like to believe that the sixth time’s the charm. But I don’t. And I’m good with that. Every job, and every agent, I’ve ever had has offered me some new perspective and taken me somewhere interesting. So that’s what I’m looking forward to with this new hunt. Interesting. Like the Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times.”
I plan to share some of those interesting times here. I know many of my readers enjoy reading and don’t want to write. But some of my readers are former or current students of mine. And since I teach searching diligently and doing your research when looking for an agent, I think my students will find interesting where I pay attention to my own advice…and when I don’t.
Next up — the first five agents, and what I’ll do differently this time
