Well, I was going to completely ignore The Hills today just to show that a) I am so not obsessed with a show that demonstrates to everyone that I have — at best — questionable taste in television, and b) so I wouldn’t risk losing readers who are here to learn more about, you know, publishing.
But Justin Bobby. Justin Bobby!! He leaves me no choice. I am now utterly convinced that a crazy homeless person who spent the last two years stowed away on a smuggling ship that ran drugs across the Pacific (how else to explain his hair and, uh, personality) has now stumbled his way onto The Hills. Meanwhile, Audrina vetted Justin Bobby in a meeting with noted relationship expert Lauren Conrad that went something like this:
Lauren: So, hi.
JB: *Burp*
It only got more awkward from there, culminating in a conversation with Audrina about why they should be more than friends that included this classic turn of phrase from JB: “Truth and time tells all.” Yes. Yes indeed. Audrina nodded like she had just heard a speech from the Dalai Lama.
Justin Bobby’s antics left me *this close* to being over Spencer’s transfixing craziness… until Spencer topped his own level of hilarity at the end of the episode. You see, Heidi started painting over his beloved graffitied “Hollywood” on their living room wall, and when Spencer came home he looked like Heidi had smashed his homeboy phone, took away his trust fund, put his jellyfish in a blender and kicked him where it hurts AT THE SAME TIME. I have never seen someone on TV look so sad.
Anyway, next week I will completely show I am over The Hills and don’t need to blog about it at all. I hope.
Well, in actual publishing related blog-related… stuff, I seem to have developed a reputation for being a slush pile killjoy. I think this is due in part to the fact that my post on how to find a literary agent (which was written March 28, 2006 — it was a totally different year!) states that I have only taken on two clients via the slush pile. Hey, that number has since risen to, uh, three (with a few more potentials on top of that), BUT STILL.
The reality is that most agents do not find the bulk of their clients through the slush pile. They find them through referrals, by people they have actively pursued after becoming familiar with their work, and by people they meet at conferences, literary events or at parties. It’s worth stressing again that your #1 method for finding an agent should first be to mine your personal connections and to try and not be in the slush pile. The slush pile is a last resort — it’s one that works very occasionally, but it’s not the avenue with the best odds.
But this doesn’t mean I am anti-slush pile. I am very pro-slush pile. I put a whole lot of time into the slush pile, and I still remain hopeful that the next big thing is going to come through my slush pile, which is why I am more out there on the Internet than most agents. I am, however, very selective, and the numbers bear that out.
Well. I’m selective when it comes to queries. TV is another story.
Need help with your book? Iām available for manuscript edits, query critiques, and coaching!
For my best advice, check out my online classes, my guide to writing a novel and my guide to publishing a book.
And if you like this post: subscribe to my newsletter!
What is wrong with you people? Hockey is the only sport that matters. š
I LOVE it when you comment on The Hills! Don’t stop! It’s hilarious. Also, apparently Justin Bobby does hair. For celebrities no less! But I like your idea of his homeless life.
On the industry front…It’s hard to hear that very few clients come from the slush pile, especially because I have no resources to get myself to a conference. Sadly, the slush pile is my only hope. At least for now.
I’ve enjoyed this post and the subsequent comments. After attending a couple of conferences with many agents in attendance, my impression has been that very few of their clients came through the slush pile. Yes, this depressed me at first. But, more importantly, it educated me.
It’s nice to see in the comments section that there are exceptions to this rule, but I’m definitely pursuing multiple avenues for getting an agent’s attention: query + networking + keeping active in the blogosphere.
One avenue I’d previously invested in was in contests, but from what I’ve read on other blogs, the main benefit of placing/winning in a contest is to get your query letter higher up in the slush pile. Not a bad outcome, but perhaps not the most effective use of resources. Maybe others have a different take? (I’d love to know.)
Thanks for the great post and great comments!
Thank you for bringing such nice posts. Your blog is always fascinating to read.
Don’t despair, you slush dwellers! I was plucked from the Curtis Brown slush and am now a proudly represented, but-as-yet-unpublished author, so have faith. I did, however, know this agent’s tastes as much as possible, quite a task considering CB STILL doesn’t have that website up and running. (What gives, Nathan?) and I named names in the query letter.
Big “but” here…I WOULD get squeamish if someone I didn’t know on a personal level asked for a referral.
Great blog, Nathan!
I am always really flattered when someon who has read my books e-mails me for advice. I’ve never had anyone come right out and ask for a referral to an agent, but in the right circumstances, I wouldn’t hesitate.
I do occasionally (if it’s someone I’ve gotten to know, and their online writing is good) to take a look at someone’s manuscript and offer some editing help, but usually it just takes me forever because I have my own stuff to work on, and I end up feeling really bad about making the person wait months. So I’m not sure that’s a boon, but I do like try to help when I can.
First-time commenter, love the blog, but yikes!
I just completed my first draft and am taking a bit of time off to edit my first novel, and the writing process, as frustrating as it might seem, appears to be a breeze compared to trying to find someone to find someone to sell it to. I may be echoing a lot of the statements here, but this seems incredibly daunting, especially to someone who has to work as well, and hasn’t the first clue at “networking” (every job I have had has been found on an employment website, I’ve had largely the same group of friends from high school, and the list goes on. I am networking-challenged).
Any advice on how to get over any sort of networking deficiency, or are some people just dead in the water?
Katie said:
<< I agree with you, Kimber. I've met and become friends with an almost NYT-bestselling author... who writes the same genre I do! Have I asked her for a referral? No. Will I? I'm not sure >>
I’m not a NYT bestselling author, but I am a successful author, and I have to say that I have had people ask me for favors. I always feel funny about it. If it’s someone I’m close to and the request isn’t “crazy”, that doesn’t bother me. But people I don’t know emailing me to ask me to read and quote their work–I find that odd. An acquaintance of mine only emails or calls when she wants writing advice, and continues to insist I refer her to agents and editors, and even that I co-write a book with her. This is too much and crosses a line.
Now, as for blogging, networking at writers’ conferences and such, I think that’s all fabulous. I need to blog more. Online groups are great as well. For me, I’ve found that networking at conferences has worked very well for me.