Great post! I was going to query you, but I just decided to self-publish as my book is ready and I don’t want to wait a year or more to see it in print. Everyone always has their reasons and I hope this author chose wisely.
As someone who had an agent that didn’t work out in the past, that quit on me, then wanted to get back together, the…
Great post! I was going to query you, but I just decided to self-publish as my book is ready and I don’t want to wait a year or more to see it in print. Everyone always has their reasons and I hope this author chose wisely.
As someone who had an agent that didn’t work out in the past, that quit on me, then wanted to get back together, then did it all over again, and felt like a turbulent boyfriend, made me make so many changes to a book, got me a deal and then lost the deal, and caused me a lot of heartache, I know having the right agent is extremely important!
I had a somewhat similar experience with my first agent in that it felt, in my case, more like a crappy boyfriend, than a turbulent one. Since ending things I have felt some heartbreak even though I ended it, and more than anything a real lack of trust when it comes to going out and getting “back in the saddle” so to speak to find another agent. As I research, with every agent, I find myself asking not “I wonder if you will like my work,” and instead “what if I don’t like the way YOU work.”
I think of self-publishing all the time but I’m mostly scared because I just don’t feel I have the output or the marketing gumption to sell books that way. And I still just dream of finding an editor who “gets me.” Lol. Why is it all so much like dating?
It really is, though I wonder if it’s my own codependency issues or something, but I don’t think so. It was our dynamic. And thank you for sharing this because I think it’s more common than we realize, but few talk about it. Would likely only go for a female agent if I were to ever do this again, or at least someone I’d met first in person.
My agent was female. I guess I thought “boyfriend” experience because that’s what the relationship felt like to me. She was a highly reputable agent sign lots of well known clients. I think with agents it’s one of those thing like just because this “boyfriend” didn’t work out/wasn’t for you, it doesn’t mean they’re all like that. But once you’ve been “heartbroken” it’s hard to ever want to go back there. This is especially true in publishing when self-publishing can be just as viable.
Yes! I think I’m a bit scarred by my first trad pub experience. Sort of still want to fulfill that dream, but at the same time I know finding an agent is really only the beginning of a very long process and a tremendous challenge.
No guarantee a publisher will buy the book, no guarantee that it will ever see print, and no guarantee that readers will buy it. You could even make many edits and have the publisher drop you. This happened to my friend with Penguin and then she had to pay Penguin back for her advance after they sat on her book for a year. So many things can go wrong.
Obviously just the nature of the business, but especially for a weirdo book like mine involving psychedelics and Christmas, I was just like, let me take it straight to the people and have fun with it!
And thankfully I have other income and work, so don’t need a big financial book deal to be able to keep afloat while writing.
Great post! I was going to query you, but I just decided to self-publish as my book is ready and I don’t want to wait a year or more to see it in print. Everyone always has their reasons and I hope this author chose wisely.
As someone who had an agent that didn’t work out in the past, that quit on me, then wanted to get back together, then did it all over again, and felt like a turbulent boyfriend, made me make so many changes to a book, got me a deal and then lost the deal, and caused me a lot of heartache, I know having the right agent is extremely important!
Oh man, do I feel your struggles, Charlotte. :) But now, as with unrequited love, I pine for my old agent and wish i had him back! ha!
Ahh haha that’s funny. Maybe I’ll feel the same way one day.
I had a somewhat similar experience with my first agent in that it felt, in my case, more like a crappy boyfriend, than a turbulent one. Since ending things I have felt some heartbreak even though I ended it, and more than anything a real lack of trust when it comes to going out and getting “back in the saddle” so to speak to find another agent. As I research, with every agent, I find myself asking not “I wonder if you will like my work,” and instead “what if I don’t like the way YOU work.”
I think of self-publishing all the time but I’m mostly scared because I just don’t feel I have the output or the marketing gumption to sell books that way. And I still just dream of finding an editor who “gets me.” Lol. Why is it all so much like dating?
Yep! So much like dating! And don't you find that even when you don't like the other person, you still wanna be liked? 😬
Lol that is so true!
It really is, though I wonder if it’s my own codependency issues or something, but I don’t think so. It was our dynamic. And thank you for sharing this because I think it’s more common than we realize, but few talk about it. Would likely only go for a female agent if I were to ever do this again, or at least someone I’d met first in person.
Good luck to you too!
Good luck to you too!
My agent was female. I guess I thought “boyfriend” experience because that’s what the relationship felt like to me. She was a highly reputable agent sign lots of well known clients. I think with agents it’s one of those thing like just because this “boyfriend” didn’t work out/wasn’t for you, it doesn’t mean they’re all like that. But once you’ve been “heartbroken” it’s hard to ever want to go back there. This is especially true in publishing when self-publishing can be just as viable.
Ah I get you, and yes, that’s so true!
Boy, Charlotte, whatta rough experience! At least with self publishing you are in the driver's seat.
Yes! I think I’m a bit scarred by my first trad pub experience. Sort of still want to fulfill that dream, but at the same time I know finding an agent is really only the beginning of a very long process and a tremendous challenge.
No guarantee a publisher will buy the book, no guarantee that it will ever see print, and no guarantee that readers will buy it. You could even make many edits and have the publisher drop you. This happened to my friend with Penguin and then she had to pay Penguin back for her advance after they sat on her book for a year. So many things can go wrong.
Obviously just the nature of the business, but especially for a weirdo book like mine involving psychedelics and Christmas, I was just like, let me take it straight to the people and have fun with it!
And thankfully I have other income and work, so don’t need a big financial book deal to be able to keep afloat while writing.
Sending you good vibes for your book release!!!!!!
Thank you so much!! November 15th—Acid Christmas is dropping! Hahah 🎅🏿🎄🎆❄️🌨️🇨🇦🦝