tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post7706764827829050839..comments2024-03-28T10:36:04.929-04:00Comments on Jungle Red Writers: Literary Agents — "Everything to Everbody"Jungle Red Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16646429819267618412noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-7676881063768256822014-09-14T01:42:00.252-04:002014-09-14T01:42:00.252-04:00Terrific interview—funny! Love the cartoons. Must ...Terrific interview—funny! Love the cartoons. Must be very hard work!Maureen Harringtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03499876353651763590noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-72728542736803684442014-09-14T01:37:34.024-04:002014-09-14T01:37:34.024-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Maureen Harringtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03499876353651763590noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-44239239219777181482014-09-13T21:32:05.247-04:002014-09-13T21:32:05.247-04:00Victoria, I think you have a fascinating job. Than...Victoria, I think you have a fascinating job. Thanks for sharing it with us. <br />Kathy Reelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17004247271452356577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-2110904639314745962014-09-13T15:27:54.845-04:002014-09-13T15:27:54.845-04:00Chester Arthur? Who knew! Thank you for sharing fr...Chester Arthur? Who knew! Thank you for sharing from the other side. I suspect your days of "abject" and "powerless" are few, however. <br /><br />Re: Susan's question about being a good agent, the telephone would be my downfall. As chatty as I am in person, I am all email, all the time, for work.Ramonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00627775403015684868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-60841192481806750952014-09-13T14:32:25.866-04:002014-09-13T14:32:25.866-04:00Rhys - I too adore meg Ruley...without her I'...Rhys - I too adore meg Ruley...without her I'd never have published a book. She's the best!Victorianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-68806733678841907212014-09-13T14:30:08.792-04:002014-09-13T14:30:08.792-04:00Joan, agents are not immune to taking rejections p...Joan, agents are not immune to taking rejections personally. I know it's not personal, but that doesn't stop me from feeling horrible (dumb, fatuous, responsible, aggrieved) by rejections. Some of us have more internal Teflon than others, but most of us have things that stick all the time..Victorianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-91464466653780490272014-09-13T14:25:17.532-04:002014-09-13T14:25:17.532-04:00I love hallie's about whether email has made m...I love hallie's about whether email has made my job easier or harder. The answer is mixed. It's nice to be able to email with the kind of frequency that, if you were using the phone, would make you look like a stalker. But in the old days, agents, actually everyone, could barter, whine, persuade with active personality. You don't get to do that so much electronically,. Minds are made up and it's on to the next thing. This was always l true, bu there was wiggle room. One thing I got to see quickly when I started this career: a no is always delivered as an email, while a yes mostly means a phone call. Makes me love the phone, needless to say.Victorianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-91721506132243642172014-09-13T11:54:27.655-04:002014-09-13T11:54:27.655-04:00I would make a terrible literary agent. Oh, I'...I would make a terrible literary agent. Oh, I'd be good at the reading and the schmoozing lunches, but I have come to realize that selling things is something I hate. I do not have that gene that a good salesperson has--rather like fishing until you hook the big one.<br />But hooray for agents. I adore my own Meg Ruley and Christina Hogrebe. The most important thing for a writer is to have a champion who believes in you and toots your horn for you.Authorrhysbowen@gmail.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11844065473614874365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-44425719297637724582014-09-13T08:42:31.665-04:002014-09-13T08:42:31.665-04:00Such a challenging job and I'm so in awe of Vi...Such a challenging job and I'm so in awe of Victoria and other literary agents who work so hard, inspired by their love of books!Susan Elia MacNealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00349842866995778987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-89036061961925363932014-09-13T08:24:41.198-04:002014-09-13T08:24:41.198-04:00Hi, Victoria!! I know Victoria from really REALLY ...Hi, Victoria!! I know Victoria from really REALLY way back when...and I remember then you were (I think) writing jacket copy. I was so in awe. <br /><br />It's so generous of you to let folks in and see what this crazy business is like from another perspective. That agents can't get calls returned and get told NO. Abject and powerless, just like writers often feel. <br /><br />Wondering, has email made your job easier or harder? And do you still use the phone to reach editors and writers??Hallie Ephronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04759439029582054503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-70370383723871525322014-09-13T08:04:47.811-04:002014-09-13T08:04:47.811-04:00Absolutely, sympathy and admiration! I could never...Absolutely, sympathy and admiration! I could never beat at those doors (ever so politely) over and over again, trying to sell my authors. And on the other hand, it must be difficult holding the hand of some authors--or sticking a gun in their backs--to get the next manuscript ready to go. I like to think that I can take criticism well, especially when I know it is meant constructively, but I've known plenty of people whose word is sacred--the "How dare you suggest I cut/change/add".... type of person. Bless you, Victoria, for your energy and stamina!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-6765060061208383982014-09-13T01:41:39.474-04:002014-09-13T01:41:39.474-04:00Oh, yes, a great deal of sympathy --- and respectf...Oh, yes, a great deal of sympathy --- and respectful admiration. The all day reading part of it sounds fantastically wonderful, but it has to be difficult when you don't get the response to your email or the returned call. The part of me that is screaming "What about common courtesy?" is the part that would keep me from being a good literary agent. <br />Although I'm sure none of it is meant to be personal, I know myself well enough to know that's exactly how I would take it . . . .Joan Emersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06810313925049108163noreply@blogger.com