One of my friends told me that you date for your entire life, it just morphs as you get older.
You start out as a teen, just dating for fun. Eventually, you take things more seriously and date to find that special someone. You become a couple, perhaps get married, but the dating doesn't stop. You begin to go on double dates with other couples.
Finding an agent is like dating. You want to make a good first impression. They don't need to know that you color-coordinate your closet, alphabetize your DVDs, or save jokes from the Reader's Digest in case you need an ice-breaker. (For the record - I don't do any of those things...I tried the closet thing and it lasted through one round of laundry.)
Wait until after the after the third date (they offer representation) before you let them see a glimmer of the crazy. So that means you follow their rules (you mean you didn't want that query on neon green paper and size 24 font?), be professional (no "Yo Agent, wuzup"), and don't act desperate (You like me...you really like me?).
Of course, I'm still in the stage of gazing adoringly from afar. I haven't even asked them out for a cup of coffee yet. So what do I know?
What is craziest thing you (or a "friend") have done in the attempt to land an agent? Or what is the craziest date you've ever had?
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Once a newspaper was looking for a reporter. I wanted to write essays for them, so I wrote a clever proposal of my great gifts. I guess I wasn't as clever as I thought. I never heard back.
Well, I stupidly started querying when I had no clue what I was doing. The only thing I had done was find good agents. :)
I had a crappy draft and an even crappier query letter and synopsis.
As far as dates, I went out with a guy that I'd been in love with for over 6 years. I was so excited and nervous. He showed up in a red tee and orange parachute pants (after the craze of the 80s). He no longer had the glow of idiotic teenage fascination. Poor boy. He was still cute, just not "HIM" anymore.
:)
Well, I'm gazing from afar as well, just like you. Craziest date I've had? One where the guy said like two sentences in FIVE hours. He didn't TALK! Talk about not sharing anything... In that case, it was just bad.
Yo Agent, Wuzup? Lol! I never did anything CRAZY to land an agent but some of the things I did certainly weren't smart. Querying too early, querying the wrong agent. Things like that. Live and learn, huh?
The craziest thing I've done in an attempt to land an agent is querying them in the first place. >.< My butterflies have become the size of boulders--boulders with no sense of direction. ;-)
Very good points, Joyce. Even though I have an agent, I'm still in the new stages with her. I really feel like I have to trust her judgement and be as professional as possible. Maybe someday when I'm finally published and if I ever gain a readership, then I'll have a little more leeway with my expectations, etc. But right now, I definitely am the new kid and have to earn her respect!
Oh goodness...when I first queried for my fantasy it was full of no-no's I was amazed I even got asked for a sample chapter LOL! I wish I could burn my first query!
As for dates...nothing too crazy I can recall...well at least that I'll admit too! LOL!
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