How to Lose a Literary Agent
Five tips for sinking your career before it starts and making a name for yourself in the worst possible way.
If you’re a writer looking to be traditionally published, finding an agent is key. It’s also one of the most difficult parts of the process, especially when you’re looking for your first agent.
At least, that was my experience.
I had written this thing that I loved dearly, had poured years of my life into creating, and I was about to send it out into the world where it would be judged by others, by professionals in my chosen field, purely on its merits — none of the emotional baggage involved.
At the same time that I was querying, I was also reading as a query intern for Pam Howell Victorio at D4EO. My job was to go through the email inbox, and to pick the stories that I thought would jive best with Pam and her tastes and what she could champion, and either send out a rejection or request pages, accordingly.
So, during the entire time that I was querying, I was sitting, essentially, on both sides of the desk. And, boy, was it illuminating.
There were good queries. I will start by telling you that. There were definitely some good queries, great stories by new writers who were professional…
