Agency Lessons: The Call

Before I get started on today's post, I want to take a minute to thank you guys again for all your warm fuzzies last week. You sure know how to make a gal feel special. Also, I want to point out that I have added a tab at the top with my submission guidelines. If you are interested in querying me, please check these out. I'll also post an update on where I am with queries and requested manuscripts. That way you can check here obsessively to see when you're up. Because obsessive blog stalking is half the fun of querying.

Now on to today's real blog post, The Call. You guys know the one. The one every writer prays for. As a writer, I've played out the call in my head at least half a dozen times. But even though I've been working at the agency for a while now, I've never practiced the call from the other side.

Let me tell you folks, it is just as nerve wracking. What if the author doesn't like me? What if they don't like my thoughts about their book? To calm my nerves about The Call, I made a checklist of all the things I wanted to talk about. If you are a frequent reader, you know how much I like making lists in my composition books.

I felt pretty good until about 5 minutes before The Call. Then I went into panic mode. My first panic was that I would forget something important like the authors name, the title of the manuscript or their main character's name. So I opened up a ton of documents with all the crucial bits of info. Then I worried that I would forget a part of the contract and the author would ask me a question specific to the part I just forgot. So I opened up another document with a blank copy of the contract.

As I hit the call button, I worried that I would sound like a big goober. Because the truth is, I am a big goober. That may work well when relating to my toddlers, but goobers aren't ultra professional. I wanted to sound professional. But not too professional, because this isn't exactly a jacket and tie kind of profession. Great, I was having an identity crisis while the phone was ringing.

"Hello?"

One gigantic breath later and I was actually making coherent sentences about relevant information. Turns out, being yourself is the right answer.

Why am I telling you all of this? Because before I joined the agency I imagined agents as some sort of mythical creatures like sparkly unicorns. Turns out we're normal people. Who knew?

So when the delightful day of The Call arrives for you (and I'm sending good vibes it will) the most important thing to remember is to be yourself. Because deep down, we're all big goobers.