How I Got My Agent, Guest Post by Ellen McGinty

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Lately, a lot of my friends are doing these “I got an agent” posts. I love hearing their stories. But if you haven’t got there. If your critique partners haven’t got there. It’s OKAY. Where is “there” anyway?

Go climb mountains.

Tear down lies.

Celebrate life NOW.

And yes, I can say that with two kids under five, hay fever stalking my house, and depression howling like the wind. This is a journey. It’s a loooong one and I need lembas bread, not just potatoes.

WRITING THE BOOK

It took me years to write my first book, THE WATER CHILD. I wrote chapter by chapter and revised the plot umpteenth times before it was right. SCWBI, critique partners and amazing sensitivity readers encouraged me, many urging me to query. Of course, there was also hard feedback, things I had to change and consider. Places I had to stand my ground. But I grew as a writer and as a person.

Along the way I learned one key thing: Self-pity and excuses waste a lot of time.

Truth is, I have enough time every day – but I have to choose what to do with it. I am responsible for my writing, no one else, and certainly not the ticking clock. At the same time, I’m not superwoman, so I’m learning to practice self-care and seek help when needed.

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QUERY

My First Conference.

My First Query (I think – I wasn’t keeping track at the beginning!)

Like any proper introvert, I tip-toed into my first writing conference. I hid myself in a corner during the session breaks to scribble story ideas instead of mingle. But, I’d signed up for a query and first chapter critique with an agent.

The agent didn’t smile. She leaned across the table with my precious pages in hand.

My back pressed against the conference chair, too-stiff, nervous. I think she hates it.

“Your query is crap,” she said.

Yep, she hates it.

“And I want to see the full manuscript. I’m getting drinks later, come and we can chat about your book.”

Shock – a lot of it. The agent bought my dinner, offered pointers on query and character, and introduced me to publishing friends. It was my first conference and I felt like a little peon accidentally invited to a ball. A not-so-conventional introduction to querying.

From there, I queried about 30 agents. In retrospect, I began querying my novel too early. It was my first completed manuscript and I didn’t know much. But about half of the queries resulted in requests for fulls or partials. I’ve heard those are good stats, but at the time I found it confusing. Why the interest? And what was missing?

I stepped back to revise with feedback and then tried again. But this time, with contests!

PitchWars: I didn’t get in, but I met the wonderful Jess Calla who encouraged me and believed in my story. She also introduced me to the Writer Twitter Sphere. Hurray!

PitchSlam: I revamped my query and found the true heart of my story. This resulted in an overwhelming number of requests but my story was still missing something…

Pitch2Publication: editor Lindsey Schlegel suggested I write a prologue. Something I’d always opposed but after I wrote it, I LOVED it! I met some of the most amazing writers and critique partners through this competition. I wish I could list them all by name, but a special thanks to Tara Lundmark, Anne Rowland Stubert, and Carolyne Topdjian for their insight and friendship! Critique partners are special people – cherish them!

Personally, Twitter contests helped me grow the most in the querying process. I found community and editors/agents who spoke into my book and believed it would find a home.

THE AGENT

Then, on a twitter pitch contest, an agent requested the full and offered a Revise & Resubmit.

Her editorial letter brought tears to my eyes – in a good way! Never had I imagined finding an agent who not only loved my writing but also had a passion for Japan and had traveled to Tohoku during the 3/11 Tsunami aftermath. And her edits! Kaitlyn Johnson is a fantastic editor on so many levels. I knew, no matter what other offers I received, this was a match.

And I’m fairly certain that after “The Call” I entered Neverland. I did the usual, informing other agents of the offer, biting my fingernails, dancing, etc. And Voila!

I signed with Kaitlyn Johnson at Corvisiero Literary Agency.

And the journey continues…but not to get “there” wherever that is. Writing a book, getting an agent, publishing, hitting the best-seller list, we put these on a golden ladder and compare everyone accordingly. Don’t!

“There” is on the inside. It’s the YOU that makes you proud. And it can never be replaced by how successful you are on the outside.

Keep writing and living fully!