Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
An agent’s favorite words?
A joke used to make its way through the family circle whenever someone took out a checkbook (remember those?) to repay another family member for borrowed money or for his/her portion of a group wedding or baby gift. The recipient would wait until the payor’s pen touched the check and then spout, “Million is spelled m-i-l-l-i-o-n.”
Laughter ensued. Every time. We were easily amused.
One might think an agent’s favorite word might be million. But the last time I or any other agent I know negotiated a million dollar advance for a client was…
An agent’s favorite words–to speak–fall along the lines of:
Congratulations!
Way to go!
They’re offering you a contract!
A murder of crows (just because it’s such a cool and unexpected literary device for describing a bunch of crows).
![agent's favorite words](https://booksandsuch.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/cemetery-3582286_1920-300x200.jpg)
An agent’s favorite words–to hear from publishers, readers, and reviewers:
We’re prepared to offer your client a contract.
Yes to all of your negotiation requests.
An important book and an author to watch!
Great book. What else has your author written?
This book spoke to my heart.
An agent’s favorite words–to hear from clients and prospective clients–sound more like this:
Is it okay if I turn this in two days earlier than anticipated?
Bring on the critique. It helps me grow as a writer…and as a person!
I don’t mind waiting.
I made the changes you suggested.
Other projects? Yes, I have several in the works.
I’ve been studying the market.
I followed your advice and…
I’m seeing a rapid trajectory in my platform numbers and an uptick in social media engagement.
Thank you (in an email, publicly, in the book’s acknowledgments…)
An author’s favorite words likely mirror the first two subhead lists.
![words agents love](https://www.booksandsuch.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/word-1940813_1920-300x225.jpg)
Yes, these are a few of our favorite things. Sing it with me.
Or favourite, if you live in Canada, the UK, or Australia and related islands.
What are among your favorite words to hear from an agent, editor, or reader?
What a fun and inspiring way to share the heart of an agent! I loved starting my day with this. Iām working on a way to share my book and my theme is ENCOURAGE, so I love the scrabble letter picture! Thank you Cynthia!
Glad this was useful, Susie!
The greatest plaudit ever,
the one that gets my vote
is that the reader never
expected Christ in what I wrote.
I’m writing for His glory,
I’m writing as I’m bidden,
and in each Jesus-story
He stays amused and hidden.
Concealing things is His own joy
and my readers, queens and kings
who by grace my words employ
to learn of treasured things.
Thus, to each faithful scribe and bard
may Kingdom-work be its own reward.
Ha ha! Yes, those are crows. We have ravens at our house and they love to follow Princess Leia Freyja and I on our walk and swoop down at her to make her bark. They also sit in the tree above our chickens and imitate a hawk’s cry just to watch all the chickens freak out and make a run for it!
Thanks, Kristen!
My favorite words would be:
“This is promising.”
“Please send me the proposal.”
“Your writing is very good.”
“I’m interested in hearing more.”
I so hope to hear these words from an agent in the future!
But my favorite words would be something like “You are just the kind of author I’m interested in working with.” š