Wednesday 23 May 2012

The How I Got My Agent Post

It was a list. Just a list, written on an A4 sheet of lined paper torn from a notebook. Names and addresses, with neatly ruled lines in between them.

A list that could change everything, or nothing.

I’d just completed my third YA novel, and with two previous attempts consigned to a bottom drawer, I’d decided it was time to take the plunge and start querying agents. As I like to be organised about these things, I’d gone through the Writers’ and Artists’ yearbook and made my list, picking out agents who represented YA authors I loved.

I sent my chapters and synopsis off to the first agent – by snail mail, as I didn’t have the internet or email at home at this time – and got a rejection back a couple of weeks later. The same happened with the second. I crossed them off the list and moved on to the next agent: Carolyn Whitaker at London Independent Books. Off my words went, and I tried to prepare myself, mentally, for another rejection.

But I was also hoping against hope that maybe this time, it would be third time lucky. Because Carolyn represented two authors I hero-worshipped: Chris Wooding and, at that time, Keith Gray. Imagine having the same agent as Chris Wooding and Keith Gray.

Just the thought of it sent shivers down my spine.

Luckily, I had plenty of other stuff going on to keep me occupied: I was getting married soon, and was busy making the final preparations. By the time the day arrived, I’d more or less forgotten about my query. I got married, and hubby and I went off on our honeymoon. It wasn’t until we got back home that I thought about my query again, when I found an envelope from London Independent Books lying on the front doormat. A thin envelope, containing a single sheet of paper. Another rejection, I thought as I unfolded it, bracing myself for the inevitable rush of disappointment.

But it wasn’t a rejection. It was a letter from Carolyn, saying she’d like to see the next 10,000 words of my novel.

I sent them off (with another SAE). Waited. Prepared myself for rejection. Instead, Carolyn wrote back to say she’d like to see the rest. Oh my god. I spent the next day or so reading and re-reading the end of my manuscript frantically, checking one last time for typos and awkward sentences before packaging it up and sending it off, using recorded delivery just to be on the safe side (and enclosing yet another SAE, because you always include SAEs when you send stuff to agents, right? Even if they have two other SAEs from you already that, if you weren’t so excited you could hardly think straight, you’d remember sending them).

Cue more waiting. And obsessive checking of the Royal Mail website to track my manuscript and see if it had arrived.

Nothing.

I rang Royal Mail to see if there was any record of the manuscript being delivered, but no-one could tell me anything. In despair, I realised what must have happened: it had got lost in the post.

Probably the most important parcel I’d ever sent, and it had gone into a black hole.
This isn't me, but this IS what I looked like when I thought my manuscripts had been lost.
There was only one thing I could do – re-send the manuscript. Meanwhile, Carolyn had been waiting all this time. What if she thought I wasn’t bothered any more? I posted another copy of the manuscript and tried not to think about how I’d probably missed my chance.

But that one didn’t arrive either. This could only happen to me, I thought as, in despair, I scraped together the courage to phone London Independent Books and leave a message on the answerphone, explaining what had happened. Then I posted my manuscript for a third time, convinced I’d really blown it now.

A few days later, hubby and I were driving to the supermarket when my mobile rang. It was a withheld number. Work?

No.

It was Carolyn.

Somehow, I managed to signal to hubby to pull over. Somehow I managed to keep my voice from going up about two octaves while Carolyn explained she had actually received my manuscripts (all three of them). Somehow I managed not to burst into tears when she said she really liked the story and had some suggestions for revision. Frantically, I scrabbled in the glove box and, by some miracle, found both a notebook and a pen in there. I think I may have interspersed my scribbled notes with OMG several times as hubby frowned at me, wondering, quite rightly, what on earth was going on. After we got home I started work on the revisions right away. When they were done, I sent the manuscript back to Carolyn, and after some more revisions it was ready to send out (although, ultimately, it didn’t sell; it would be another book and another four years before Random House Children's Books bought ACID).

So that’s how I got my agent. In the car, on the way to the supermarket.

And we were only going for milk!

42 comments:

  1. Emma, I love this post!! It's always so neat to hear how writers get their agents. It's such a GOOD memory :) Especially for those days when doubt creeps in during revisions and such. And you were only going for milk. Where were you headed when you heard you sold ACID??

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    1. Thank you, Elsie! It really is a good memory! As for where I was when ACID sold… watch this space… :D

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  2. Great stuff. What should be most heartening for unagented writers is that your success in publishing didn't happen instantly, but involved some rejection and disappointment along the way. It was your determination--and talent--that won out in the end. Congrats!

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    1. Thank you, Jane! Yes, it's been a long journey, but I wouldn't change a moment of it. I'm very lucky to have such a supportive agent!

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  3. I loved this post and I would love to hear more stories on how other writers got their agents. Thanks for sharing and well done to you :-)

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  4. Carolyn must have a knack of catching people unaware. I was in the shower when she called to tell me she wanted to represent me. I spent an hour talking to her while drip-drying. I think her second phone call was on a Sunday morning and I wondered if she was testing my mettle . . . Carolyn wasn't the first agent I had approached, though - one agent even had me make extensive changes (twice) to the manuscript for Dry Season (my debut novel)before deciding not to represent me. I ended up changing it back to it's original state.

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    1. Wow, it just goes to show what a long journey getting an agent/being published can be, doesn't it? And I usually get phonecalls while I'm cooking something complicated… don't mind one bit, though! :)

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  5. What a wonderful, wonderful story. Inspiring to those of us still trying. Thanks for sharing Emma.

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  6. Fab post Emma - trusting the Royal Mail always sends a shiver down my spine (at least they got there though) lol

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    1. Thank you, Jesse! Gah, it gave me a few heart attacks, I can tell you. :oP

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  7. My heart is pounding in delayed sympathy... glad this is firmly in the can-laugh-about-it-now past. And ooh... Acid!

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  8. And did you only buy milk at the supermarket afterwards.... or did a bottle of bubbly manage to find its way into the basket too?!

    A great post and wonderful story. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. I can't remember! It was all a bit of a blur to be honest. Thank you, Ann, and glad you enjoyed it!

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  9. What does SAE stand for?

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    1. Stamped Addressed Envelope! Vital when sending anything via snail mail to agents in case you want it back (if they don't want it, of course).

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  10. That's such a great story! I love it when dreams come true. :)

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  11. Hoorah! It's almost like giving birth in the back of a taxi... well, maybe not quite... and I'm not speaking from experience either. Glad the rollercoaster ended so brilliantly!

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    1. Ha ha, thank you, Abi! And I'm so glad you're not… that sounds like it would be highly traumatic!!

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  12. Such an awesome story -- and so inspirational as I go through the process! Great post!! And congratulations! :)

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    1. Thank you, Julia! Very best of luck with your querying.

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  13. Great to hear how it happened, you give hope to those of us still imagining those amazing moments!

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    1. Thank you, Lisa! And don't give up hoping!!

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  14. Love this story, Emma. If I ever get an agent, I always promised myself I'd do a post like this. Still trudging through revisions here (agent requested ones so it makes it a little more exciting lol). :p
    Also great photo - that's how I would feel too.

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    1. That's brilliant, Rachel - good luck, I'll keep everything crossed for you! And hopefully I'll be reading *your* How I Got My Agent Post soon!

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  15. It's all such a roller coaster, no? Great post, Emma.

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    1. Thanks, April! And yes, it's a white-knuckle ride all the way!

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  16. What a great story! I always love reading these, but it's fair to say that this is more dramatic than most. Thanks for sharing :-)

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  17. I love your story, Emma! The fact that your agent patiently received all three copies of your manuscript makes it all the better.

    My agent and I also went through two books and four years together before we sold one of my manuscripts (and she was my second agent!). I can honestly say it was well worth the long and grueling wait.

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    1. Thanks, Cat! And I know - she must have thought I was mad! Lol.

      That's great that your agent stuck with you, too. Carolyn has been fantastic - a mentor as well as an agent. Even though my first book didn't sell, the experience of revising it with her expert help taught me so much. Having an agent is about so much more than just getting that book deal!

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  18. I got so excited for you while reading this! Lovely stuff. Thanks for sharing your wonderful moment. I visualised it all. Wendyfreckles

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  19. Brilliant post. And the post agent lag time to acceptance is oh so familiar for lots of aspirants. Did you write many manuscripts between that first lucky one and ACID?

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    1. Thank you, Liz! Actually, there was only one in between the novel Carolyn took me on with and ACID, and it didn't get sent out because it ended up not really working. I learnt a lot from writing it, though, so I don't regret it!

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  20. What a great story, Emmma! :) I hope you ditched the milk and got champagne.

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    1. Thanks, Talli! And I can't remember… doh!

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  21. I love this post, Emma. Especially the bit where Carolyn has all three of your manuscripts! Inspiring stuff. Thanks for sharing.

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