Blogger: Wendy Lawton
If you hope for a significant writing career one of the best things you can do is to begin amassing a crack team. That would include an agent, maybe a publicity or social media consultant, a critique team, some fellow writers to help brainstorm, a few beta readers and the start of a group of influencers. Yep, I included agent.
Can you go it alone in this day and age? Sure, especially if you are not planning to publish traditionally. And it’s possible to agent yourself even if you are going to publish traditionally. But who would want to? I’m an experienced agent but when I write, do I represent myself? Are you kidding? If I did I would have a fool for a client. After all, even the Lone Ranger had Tonto and Silver.
Despite what you may have heard from a few of the self-proclaimed DIY publishing gurus—the Occupy Publishing crowd— if you want to build a lasting career, you will eventually need an agent on your team. Lately the favorite internet blood sport seems to be agent-baiting— rivaled only by publisher-baiting. I know you’ve read some of the anti-agent screeds declaring that literary agents are a dying breed. Ignore all that crazy vitriol. For the record, I’m not worried about my job– short term or long term. Agents add real value to an author’s team. Show me a New York Times mega-bestselling author who does not have an agent. It doesn’t matter that they could sell their books to any publisher themselves if they chose to do so. These savvy authors understand that it’s a complicated world and they are smart enough to surround themselves with as many experts as they can.
An agent will be an important member of your team. Let me just mention a few things we do:
An agent is your worrier-in-chief. Because our experience spans many publishers and many careers, we are the ones who see patterns. Agents know where and when the bumps are likely to occur.
An agent is your air traffic controller. Publishing is becoming ever more complex. Your agent is going to be the one to safely land all the planes that are circling (new releases, self-e-pubbed books, re-releases, etc.). We’re seeing all kinds of collisions on the publishing runway these days. Some of these can be fatal to a career.
An agent offers industry-wide perspective. Writers know what’s happening anecdotally, which is less than reliable. Publishers know what’s happening in their company. Agents are the ones who have an idea what’s happening across the board. We see royalty statements from all the publishers. The information is proprietary and we never share but we have a perspective unique in this industry.
An agent handles many of the time-consuming details so the author is free to create. One of the best benefits. Yes, you might be able to do it all but is that the best use of your time?
An agent is a specialist in publishing contracts. You often hear people say that a writer could simply have an attorney look at publishing contracts. We smile. Publishers groan. An attorney who is not familiar with publishing contracts will have to spend hours getting up to speed. They question every clause not understanding the concepts. All on your dime. Your agent receives the contract he has negotiated with the publisher and it is usually far different from the boilerplate. Plus we’ve seen so many contracts, we can spot the least change and we can pick one scary word out of dozens of pages of legalese.
An agent is the bad cop that allows the author to be a good cop. Without an agent you need to deal with all the trouble that arises. And trouble always arises. We have long term relationships that can be leveraged to fix problems and craft win-win situations. And when push comes to shove, we are okay with being the bad guys and leaving you untouched.
An agent offers a collaborative community. Not all agents gather their clients together in a tribe, but when it happens it is invaluable.
An agent reads widely in the industry, staying on top of things in order to keep her clients apprised. Part of our job is stay on top of trends and industry issues. We read intentionally and widely. Our Books & Such agents have regular meetings to discuss what we are reading and hearing.
An agent stands ready to help over the rough spots. This is where we shine.
A good agent rarely costs the client anything. Some authors cite the commission we take, but we usually negotiate a deal with the publisher that more than compensates for our cost. And we don’t get a cent unless you are making money.These are stats you’ll never see, but if you could compare well-agented writers against unagented writers. . . well, ’nuff said.
When told that the New York Journal had mistakenly published his obituary, Mark Twain is supposed to have said, “Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” We agents agree. Rumors of our upcoming demise are equally suspect. When the time is right, you’re going to want to have a good literary agent on your team.
Do you agree? What would your perfect team look like? Should I have added housekeeper and gardener to the team roster? What other things would you love to have someone else do so you could write?
Wendy,
I would love to have my own tech guy. He would help when I am ready to upload a file and the program decides to be difficult. This member of my team roster would understand the best way to synch files between my systems. Most of all, he would keep me updated on technology trends. His role would be to advise me on the ones that are likely to stay and should be on my radar as far as time, effort, and spending.
Lynn Moore
Yes! With all the online demands placed on an author these days, setting up a good tech/IT consultant is a must.
Wendy, You had me at “worrier-in-chief.” Seriously, I’ve discovered that, for me, at least, an agent is a necessity. I actively seek and follow the advice of my agent in navigating the minefield of the publishing industry. And you’re right–they more than earn their commission.
I know we’re not supposed to worry– and I worry about that. 🙂
But, your agent needs to anticipate problems. We tend to see places those can too easily happen so perhaps we’re in a better position to forestall these.
Wendy, I can’t imagine going it alone. Thank you, Books and Such team, for all you do!
(Oh…one question. What color are your pom poms?) 🙂
You bring up pom-pons. I forgot to say that is one of the jobs we enjoy the most– cheering you on. I think being an exhorter, an encourager, is one of the most important prerequisites for an agent.
And color? Hmm. Probably green for all-systems-go.
Agreed! Rachel is one of my strongest cheerleaders, and I can’t even begin to say how much that means to me. Going it alone was hard on my first two books. Even though others told me, I didn’t need an agent, I knew otherwise. 🙂
Thanks for the post, Wendy!
Such an informative post, Wendy. Thanks for sharing all the things an agent does for a client. I can’t imagine trying to do all that you do, and write. I’m praying for a great agent when the time is right. Having a good editor and tech person would also be essentials.
A house keeper, grocery shopper, and virtual assistant would be nice, but, well unless I hit it big, probably will be a dream. At least I have kids who help with housework. 🙂
What is this word “help” of which you speak? And how do you apply it to the words “kids” and “who”?
😉
I put them into strict training from a very young age. 😉 And those two words can actually work in the same sentence. Sometimes. 🙂
Love your humor. 🙂
Whenever I clean the house (which, is like, annually) the kids want to know who is coming over. They (boys 18,14 and 9) are goodishlike-ykindof helpers, but have so many things going on that sometimes the house looks like a hockey bag exploded.
Thankyou for humoUr compliment, I appreciate it. And you REALLY need to blog, my dear, you always have something encouraging to say, no matter what the issue.
I was at a conference once, talking with another attendee. She said, “So, do you have help?”
“Oh, yeah, my kids are great. They all have chores, and my husband does a lot to keep things running smoothly.”
She said, “No, I mean do you have HELP. We’ve had Marta living in for 20 years.”
At that moment I knew. She did not have cheerios under her couch. She had probably never instructed her children to stop putting jam in their ears or to stop picking a sibling’s nose.
2O years?? I was a live-in nanny for 5 years. I could not imagine living in for TWENTY!! But hey, kudos to Marta!
Well, part of my dream of a great team of critique buddies I have already found, but I would like to add a few experts to my tribe. An agent would be fabulous and someday if I am really blessed, a house keeper so I can spend more time with writing and my family.
Wouldn’t it be amazing to get to spend the day creating words, having tea parties, going to ball games, and experimenting with lots of recipes in the kitchen? Look out Paula Dean.
It’s not an impossible dream, Michelle. Of course the more successful you become as an author, the more demands on your time. It might get tough to work in too many tea parties and ballgames.
The “occupy publishing crowd” remark made me chuckle. Perfect.
I’m pretty proud of coining that new term. It fits doesn’t it? They’re not exactly sure what they want, they just know they feel disenfranchised and they are “not going to take it anymore.”
This is such a fabulous, spot on post. While all of the points you make are important, this is the one that sticks with me:
“An agent handles many of the time-consuming details so the author is free to create.”
My husband is a huge fan of hiring out because our time is worth something. Now, we can’t always afford to do it, but when we can, we leave the details to those who handle them best and work on what we do best.
I’m with Carol–a tech guy to manage my website would be lovely. It doesn’t take much time, but that’s less time I spend writing. Though personally, the best part of my team was one I had to give up–a housekeeper. She only came in once or twice a month, but she cleaned up the living areas so I didn’t need to worry about them if a friend stopped by unexpected.
Thanks for sharing the many reasons writers need an agent on their team.
Cheryl, I’ll admit, I’d work extra hours if necessary to keep my cleaning service. I keep everything up but having that team that brings in ladders and buckets every two weeks keeps us sparkling. A writer’s (or an agent’s) best friend.
Forget writing retreats, don’t you think someone should be offering housekeeping grants to promising writers?
You bet. If they ever come up with one of those grants, I’ll be the first to apply. 🙂
Great post, Wendy. I completely agree that an agent is a valuable member of an author’s team, and a must-have for me. I know there are those people who don’t mind the contract negotiations, etc., but I would love to have an agent to do that for me. Also, an agent helps an author formulate a career plan. Hopefully my agent (once I have one) will be a life-long partner with me in my career. Finally, an agent gets you in the door, so to speak, because a lot of traditional publishers won’t accept queries or submissions from an author directly.
I would definitely love to have a housekeeper to do the everyday cleaning so I could write more! 🙂
I like your goal of a lifelong agent. It doesn’t always happen but continuity is a good thing.
Okay, since we’re dreaming…tech guy, for sure! I want my blog to be a place where people hang out and learn something.
Someone to hose down the hockey gear when the season ends. No, I am not kidding.
Housekeeper, CHEF/grill master and lawn mower/yard person.
(But do not touch, DO NOT TOUCH my perennials. Cuz you won’t need an agent, you’d need a good SWAT team to save you from the writer who said not to touch the perennials.)
Ahem…
Massage therapist. Mani/pedi crew and last but not least pilot for my personal jet.
Now it’s time to wake up;)
As always, an informative AND fun visit !
You speak my language, Jennifer. Finding the right gardener is crucial for being a successful writer. The mow-and-blow lawn guys who don’t know a perennial from an annual and who like to prune bushes into little balls completely drain one of any creativity. 🙂
I had a very sweet friend dig up my entire periwinkle plant. The one that was beautifully woven through the antique’d garden bench. Yes, you can cry and smile at the same time.
So? NO to the boxwoods shaped like poodles on your lawn?
Wendy, this is a great article. I’m looking for an agent because I realize my limitations. I want a professional to negotiate the best deal for my work. I would like to have a tech guy because I’m limited in that area also. I have the best lawn guy in the world, and he also helps me with housework. We’ve been “living in” holy matrimony for 42 years now.
Oh Jennifer, I went through 13 years of hosing down hockey equipment. I feel your pain. 🙂
I love you. We’ve only just met. Sniff. But you UNDERSTAND me!! Sorry. Sniff. I need a moment…
See? I just “met someone online” who understands me.
Thankyou Books and Such blog, for hockey mom therapy.
As a writer, of course I’ve read all the blog posts bashing agents/publishing houses/what-have-you. I’ll also admit that sometimes some of their arguments make sense, at least in terms of the percentage of money you get as an author. (Especially because I’m not yet published, it’s hard for me to see where they are exaggerating). BUT, with that said, I can easily see where an agent is invaluable.
Most of the arguments against traditional publishing state the author could “make more money” going it on their own because publishers take such a large piece of the pie. Ehhhh … Unless you’re Amanda Hocking, the statistics aren’t in your favor for this one.
I really think the argument here is not “agent or no agent” but “self-pub or traditional pub”. Because if you’re going to go traditional, I can’t see why on earth you’d try to do it without an agent.
I also think it’s ironic that so many self-pub authors who make it big, ultimately decide to get an agent and go the traditional route. There’s just no comparison when it comes to marketing reach, professional edits/cover design and more.
Tiana, I think some of the wild claims about self-publishing will sort out soon. Some authors did hit a bubble because they were innovative and were first. Those pioneer slots are gone. Some genres seem to do better as e-books than others. So some will make decent money and others are scratching their heads and questioning all the hype.
As the pool gets more and more crowded, discoverability will be the difference between success and utter failure. The more people talking, the harder it is to be heard over the din.
I love the “bad cop” one the most.
Happily, a good agent can play bad cop with enough grace so that they can still get to where they need to go and maintain relationships.
Definitley housekeeper. A chef too. A dog walker at times would also be needed. My dog at times is like a small child, always wanting attention. She gets annoyed if I am on the computer for a long time. However, she is not that way when she stays with my mother.
Someone has someone wrapped around her paw. 😉
But she actually sounds like a valuable member of your writing team. As we write, it becomes important to get up and move or we’ll end up with all kinds of skeletal issues. Good dog!
My dog likes to drop her bone on my computer. I’ve sent some very interesting emails because that thing hit the right combination of keys!
Oh no way!!!
This post is exactly why I want to work with an agent. Maybe thirty years down the road I could do everything you do, but I would have reinvented the publishing wheel and I’d have hurt myself en route. Awfully hard to type with only six fingers. 🙂
Wendy, one thing that appeals to me about your agency is that you do retreats for your writers. To me, that’s just a win-win for everyone.
Thanks, Sally.
Part of our mission at Books & Such is to provide a stimulating community for our writers. We do our retreat so we can all learn from each other. Plus we can bring in editors to allow them to get to know our people in an intimate setting and consultants for intense training. It’s a lot of work but it’s worth it.
I met with an editor at a conferences just yesterday and she asked me, “Do you have an agent?” Followed by, “Are you talking to them?” It seems to me the top houses expect you to be agented. And goodness knows I can use all the help and collaboration I can get!
Who would I want on my team? Joan of Arc, a courageous visionary with a plan.
I totally agree! I would add a good babysitter too:) A cook would be nice too.
This post really made me appreciate my wonderful agent 🙂
I’m an attorney, but I don’t specialize in contract law and would never presume to act like I know anything about a publishing contract. I absolutely defer to my agent on that since in our relationship she’s the expert and I’m just the writer.
I would like a second “me” to do my dayjob or a boatload of $$ so I could quit.
It’s good to get an attorney’s perspective on this. I have many attorney friends who write. they all have agents. And I represent one author who was a well-known sports agent herself. They are all unique specialties.
Wendy,
This is a necessary blog. Too much banter out in the writer world loaded with misinformed gossip.
The first question I am asked 99% of the time is: “Are you agented?”
To which I now reply with complete confidence in my new agent, “Yes, I have an excellent agent.”
Kathy Boyd Fellure
Great post! I work at Random House and I agree 100%. Whenvever people ask me if I endorse agents, I always say YES. I don’t feel agents are going anywhere anytime soon (at least I hope not, since I want to be an agent myself down the line!).
Thanks for the thumbs up, Linda. And talking about team members, there’s no one writers need more than their publisher on their team. I don’t think we talk enough about the fact that it “takes a village.”
I want a transcriber! An actual person who will write down my brilliant thoughts through out the day as I care for all the kids and cook and clean. I could say, “Scratch that!” when I went down a rabbit trail and have her read the last part back to me. 🙂
I just tried doing this myself yesterday. All five kids were home and I couldn’t find the time to type the opening scene to a new book. I took my video camera into the bedroom and captured only the audio of me speaking what I saw for the opening. This morning I took those 6 minutes of tape and got 600 good words!
Good going! Just curious, did it sound the same as your written voice?
I did twelve pages yesterday, and only used the transcribing to kick it off. I tried after that and recorded a lot of awkward silence. 🙂
However, what I did record DID end up sounding like me. Maybe because when I write, I hear it in my head as I type? Either way, shooting for 5000 words today between a late start at school, a kid’s dr. appointment, two soccer games, and picking my husband up at the airport.
Then I plan to collapse!
Wendy, this post solidifies what I already know–that I need an agent. It’s not that I’m incapable of learning all you know. With enough hours, with enough dedication, I could do it.
But I don’t want to.
If I can get an agent to manage the business-aspect of my career, that frees me up to work on what I do best–write.
As for my team, along with a top-notch editing team and critique partners, I’d have to say a housekeeper would be an excellent choice for me. I’d rather write for eight hours than clean for one.
Robin, I’m so with you on the house cleaning thing! Thankfully, I have a patient husband who endures my piles and mess when I’m in a writing frenzy.
Wendy,
Thanks for tooting your own horn and KNOW that I’m tooting right alongside you! (Your horn, that is.) I’ve told my story here before but let me share again for effect…and to support your post.
I’m one of “those” writers who got swayed by the claims of the DIYers. I self-published because it seemed so much “easier” and “faster” and “more lucrative” and on and on and on. I now own my own publishing company, a series of ISBNs, a few websites, and all rights to my self-published book which is available through all the distribution catalogs and on most of the prominent online book stores…. I’ve sold enough copies to friends and family to (fudging a tiny bit) break even and I’ve discovered that I’m doing far better than most who’ve gone the way I did. And my book is GOOD! Go to my website and check it out – I dare you!
Never again. Never again. Never again. I’m so glad I did it – I have all kinds of insight into the business that I didn’t have before and I SOOOO appreciate the role that agents and publishers play now. But because of that insight and appreciation, I can confidently say that I don’t want to play either one of those roles anymore.
You agents are an invaluable treasure!
Becky, thanks for that wisdom born of experience. The best thing about your journey is that you can’t put a value on what you’ve learned through this. I’m a fan of Michael Hyatt http://michaelhyatt.com/, a wise voice in our industry. I think one of the keys to his depth is that he tried (and even failed a time or two) several ventures in publishing. I’m guessing her wouldn’t trade a single one of those experiences.
If you broke even and came out with the knowledge you’ve gained, I’m guessing it’s one of the most profitable things you’ve done in your life. Through the rest of your publishing career, you’ll be able to see the whole picture. At the end you’ll be that much farther along for it.
I didn’t mention earlier on my comment, but I’d definitely want at least one good craft partner and a couple of good beta readers as part of my team. 🙂 A supportive family (since I’m a wife and mom) is pretty essential too.
And what good is an agent who can’t froth at the mouth here and there? Well played, Wendy. A delightful article…as always.
Hopefully, I didn’t froth at the mouth. 🙂 My title was just tongue in cheek.
But I do believe we need to start thinking about our teams. As a marketing person yourself, Michael, you know the importance of a think tank. Too many of us try to go it alone and it’s not only lonely but we miss out on a lot of valuable input.
Wendy is spot on with her post. Just as in any business, a savvy entrepreneur surrounds herself with experts at all levels of the supply chain. I believe when we writers begin to see ourselves as someone creating a product rather than strictly as artists (nothing wrong with the artist label, but even Picasso had to sell paintings to eat) then everything falls into place.
I learned way back in business school to delegate the tasks to those with more expertise (agents and publicists) or who could perform the job in a more cost efficient way (teens and other support folks). As my career has grown, so has my team. I cannot imagine taking a step without consulting my agent (waving at Wendy). Nor would I want to publish without my editor and crit pals or try and get the word out about my books without tapping the resources of my web and publicity folks.
To really be corny, they are the wind beneath a writer’s wings. And I certainly don’t want to be caught flapping around like a fool. 😀
And to those hockey moms who lament the lack of someone to hose down the gear, I feel your pain! After four years of high school varsity hockey, I actually sold a Suburban.
Thanks for your comments, Kathleen.
And for all those moms who need hope, Kathleen traded her suburban for a Mini Cooper convertible. Ah, the empty nest.
Group hug!
We did three years of high school hockey. The doesn’t have that special hockey stink anymore. Now he plays rugby.
*faints*
Deeply grateful for my agent & my agency!
Cheers!
~ Wendy
Wendy,
I was impressed by you at the agent panels at Mount Hermon, but your statement:
Forget writing retreats, don’t you think someone should be offering housekeeping grants to promising writers?
Well, now I have a full on crush on you :). I recently posted on my fb author page that I’m not in this business to make money. But then I had to admit my lie. I actually want to make $75 a month for a cleaning lady. Lofty, I know.
Thanks for this worthwhile post. Will be sure to share it.
Gillian, I am so with you on this! Having a maid would be fabulous–as would a chef and trainer to help keep the weight off. Ugh.
I have a couple friends who have maid service every couple weeks, and they do a bit of cleaning before the service comes. Clean off surfaces, put clutter away, stuff like that.
But one even said she used to clean so that she wouldn’t be embarrassed when the maid came. 🙂 I think I’d be okay with the embarrassment, though.
What a fantastic blog post! Thank you for all of the insights into what an agent really does for an author. This has definitely confirmed my knowledge that I will need an agent when I’m out of college and seriously beginning my writing career.
Who else would I have on my dream team? Hmm. That’s a good question, and one I haven’t thought too much about! An editor would be a quintessential addition, as would a tech guy, publicity coordinator, and a few beta readers be!
As a girl paying her way through college by cleaning houses for other people, I know what a relief it is to have someone else tend to the deep cleaning your house may need. I would definitely invest in a house-cleaner if it came down to it!
Again, thank you for this post. I loved it! 🙂
You had me at “amassing a crack team!”
When I first considered publishing a book, I thought I could go it alone, but the more I learn about the industry, the more I realize I can’t. I want to spend as much time as possible actually writing instead of being involved in so many details, plus I don’t think I’d be a very good negotiator. And Wendy–that housekeeping deal sounds pretty good!
I would love to have a social media consultant! That sounds great to me.
I agree with you Wendy! For one thing, if you want to go the trad publishing route (which I do) then try looking through any list of publishers, and nearly every single one will say they don’t look at unsolicited manuscripts. It narrows the field down considerably!!
I had a local church help me out here last year with maintenance work. An older lady came in and asked me, do you have support? It made me realize that I wing it alone for everything I do. So as to other help, I’d love some hands-on grandparents, aunties & uncles, a gardener, a handyman, a tech-guy (that was a good one Carol), and a cleaner!
Yvette Carol
Are you beginning to see a pattern here? If someone really wanted to have a vigorous business it would be as a housekeeping service. 🙂
”An Agent” sounds like she needs ”An Excursion” to a remote island, equipped with full spa services! And I vote for the housekeeper, preferably one with strong math skills – high school algebra homework is going to kill me.
Great post, Wendy. I found myself saying, “Check” as you listed the support people who should make up a writer’s team. And thanks to several people in a chain of events, I can now add Mary Keeley to that list.
However, you didn’t mention one other valuable member of my team – a graphic artist. My friend, Deb, is an animator by trade and my go-to gal for anything to do with graphics on my business card, website or book covers. I say the latter because although I haven’t a publishing deal yet, Deb and I have discussed possible book covers. Everything I’ve been told is that once you sign the contract, the publisher wants to get the ball rolling with book cover ideas right away. Thanks to Deb and the rest of my team, we’re ready.
PS – A housekeeper? Oh, hadn’t thought of that. Perhaps I could use another member on my team. 😀
I think a small staff with an IT person, a secretary, and a cleaning person would be great. A cook would free up some additional time. Oops! I’m a professional chef and I have a family with three different sets of food allergies. I’d be difficult for anyone to cook for! I guess the best “support people” would be ones I already have- a loving family and friends who encourage and pray for me.
Forgot to tell you that I LOVE the term you coined- Occupy Publishing! It started my morning with a laugh.
I went to a workshop on publishing law. The lawyer giving the presentation is the top in our area for these kinds of contracts. His advice: get an agent.
I used a headhunter to find my current job. He negotiated more pay and better benefits. He set up my interviews, contacted the people I interviewed with afterwards to discuss how I did, and sealed the deal. If I ever want to switch jobs again I’m using a headhunter. I have no problem translating that experience into why I want an agent.
I have a pretty good team now. My husband cooks, my kids are old enough to help clean (youngest is 18), my critique group is tough, my RWA chapter is supportive, my gardener knows the difference between a perrenial and a weed (although he did throw out my asters, grumble, grumble, grumble), and my job occasionally has down time so I can write. What I need is an agent!
I agree with this whole blog! I am too afraid to face publishing alone and I know I need a team on my side to help me do my best. I know that the first step (after polishing my manuscript until it shines) is to get a good agent. Thank you for writing this.
Eventually I can see myself with an agent going the traditional route, but not now. Honestly, in my particular situation, it makes more sense to self-pub. I actually enjoy hiring a copyeditor, crit editor, professional photographer and graphic artist and model, publicist, etc. I work for a publisher (non-fiction/business) and this kind of thing is fun.
I do want to put the best books I can out there, but I also want to do it within a reasonable time frame. For an unpublished writer it’s a reality to be spending years in the query process slush pile, then another 2 years for your agent to sell your book and work through the publication process. I’d rather generate some positive press and buzz via self-publishing so when I approach agents in the future, I have enough to offer them to nudge me out of the slush pile.
I’ve passed over all the bruhaha about the demise of agents and publishers. My goals are, in order, 1. finish my novel, revise, polish etc. 2. find an agent. I have other goals, those two are the most important. It never entered my mind to go it alone. Even if I was savvy enough to negotiate the world of publishing on my own, I don’t want to. My interest is writing. I say, “Three cheers for Agents!”
I love my agent. He landed me a publishing deal on my first novel in 6 months time. I probably annoy him with all my questions, but he patiently answers me. 🙂
The problem is not w/ the agents, but finding one to represent me.:( I haven’t read any agent-slamming in a long time. I must not be in those blogging circles any longer because the vitriol seemed to be more common a year or two ago. God probably guided me away from those sites so I wouldn’t become overly cynical.
Thank you for this post! I love what you said about the author building a team and including an agent. After several (all right, many…) rejections, an author starts to feel like they are trying to become part of an agent’s team…and no one wants them! What a boost to see it from this perspective! :o)