A door opens - to my new agent

It's finally happened. I've just received an offer of representation and signed with an agent. I still can't quite believe it. One step closer to my dream of publication - and my mind is having trouble shifting gear.

At the beginning of the agent search, the power relationship (if it makes sense to think of it that way) between the writer and agent is very unequal, as most of the power lies with the agent. I'll admit I was very intimidated by the querying process. I've spent months sweating over my query letter. Writing and sending multiple drafts. Tweaking and revising my first few chapters.

Revision request from an agent

I'm getting excited now. If you've read my last post, you'll know that I'm 'in discussions' via email about my MS with an agent. Well, all the long discussing is happening on my side of the email equation, while she writes two line replies. But anyway...

The agent has read my revised synopsis and had some further questions about the 'romantic elements'. How did I feel about including more romance?

An email from an agent!

When you're waiting to hear
back from an agent there's
nothing quite so exciting
as getting new mail...

I've had some response to my many query letters, and I've even sent out the full manuscript when requested, and now...finally! I've heard back from an agent who has read my MS.

The email was brief - only a couple of lines. She said she liked it - except for a few major problems.

Now I could have responded to this email by being cast into the doldrums and thinking I'd done everything wrong. After all, there was no offer of representation. But I didn't.

Waiting for news? Start writing a new book!

Think we haven't come far? This is what a manuscript would

have looked like before computers. And before...um...typewriters.

We're familiar with the old saying: put another iron in the fire. And that's never better advice than when you've just completed your first book.

Patience is a virtue. I know that. But gee it's hard sometimes! Having sent out my many copies of my query letter via email quite a few months ago for my first ever completed manuscript, the only way I could deal with the nervous anticipation (and fear of rejection) was to put the whole process out of my mind. No, really.

Well, actually it wasn't quite as easy as that makes it sound. But I took some good advice from my sister, who often surprises me with her wisdom and common sense - and I started writing a new book.

The great agent hunt

Yes, I've finished the novel. And polished, tidied and trimmed it through multiple drafts.

That was just the beginning.

I'm dedicating my first post to my search for an agent because this is the area which has, I think, devoured the most hours of my time in recent months.

Sometimes when I'm talking to a friend, they'll ask how the writing is going, and when they hear that I've finished my latest novel they immediately ask whether I'm planning to send it to publishers.
"Oh no no no, you can't do THAT," I say, and watch their eyes glaze over as I attempt to explain how the publishing industry really works these days.