My favorite aspects of being an agent

There are several pivotal moments when it’s highly evident, I love, love, love my job.  Being a literary agent requires an ability to multi-task, thinking about the bigger picture (of publishing,) enjoying all things called books, and a love of working with the creators of books–authors.  If a person lacks any of these traits, it may not be the most positive experience.  Of course this is my own opinion, others may feel otherwise.

There are several moments, while working with any of my agency clients, that I find myself grinning from ear-to-ear, simply enjoying every minute of the job.   

1.  Collaborating on the book proposal, as well as other preparation(s) – before approaching editors.   Between the brainstorming, the editing, and seeing the final copy, this is a great opportunity to get to know my author’s personality & work style.  That sense of teamwork is always a good sign of things to come, as far as I’m concerned.

2. Sharing the book idea with potential editors.  I truly believe that a literary agent needs to like the  book idea just as much as the author, as it will be evident during this phase of getting published. 

3. Calling my author when a book deal is offered.  Just hearing the excitement on their end makes my day/week/month/year. 🙂

4.  Seeing the book once it’s published.  I often compare publishing to the birth of a child.  Seeing a book idea from its fruition to an officially published book = a special euphoria that any aspiring writer hopes to achieve someday. 

When searching for an agent, it’s essential that one is able to feel a sense of teamwork, open communication, and accomplishment together, for every step of the process.  Navigating the world of publishing can be a challenging process, but having a positive working relationship with your literary agent will make it much smoother.