Kelly McClymer's Blog

Agent #3 was a junior agent, but she was also a friend, so I knew she had the people skills to make a professional impression on the editors in NY, and her editorial eye for a great story was impeccable. She negotiated my new contract (two more books in my series, bringing my total up to five) quite ably, and rapidly made sales for three of the other clients she took on. I felt like things were going well for the agency, Agent #2 Agent #3 and for me.

I was wrong (but who can blame me, I was busy writing 100,000 word books on 4-6 month deadlines).

The first big agency deal hadn’t only unsettled me, it had unsettled many of my Agent #2′s clients. They wondered why they weren’t getting the big deals (NOTE: I never wondered this, I knew why the big deal author got the big deal and why I was not in her league…yet, if ever). Agent #2 grew unhappy with Agent #3, who was not traveling to NY to meet editors as she wished her to do (Agent #3 was on the cusp of a divorce and a total life makeover — not in a good way). Agent #2 suggested Agent #3 start her own agency. Agent #3 did. Agent #3 negotiated 2 more books in my series for me (bringing me to 7 books).

Agent #3′s life fell apart. I knew this happened to agents all the time (writers gossip…a lot). I decided not to jump ship, even though Agent #3 thought maybe I should. Finally, Agent #3 decided she had to be fair to her clients and close her agency. Her life makeover did not leave room for trips to NY and the challenge and stress she had previously enjoyed were wearing her down.

I sat in her kitchen, knowing more than I ever hope to know about an agent’s life again, and agreed she was making the right decision.

I knew what I should do. Get the Writer’s Market, pick my top ten agents, and start querying. After all, I had 7 published books, I was no longer an unknown quantity.

I picked ten names and sent ten query letters. I also sent an email to my previous agent, Agent #2, asking if she’d like to represent me again. She said yes. Which was good, because five of the queries I’d sent came back as forwarding order expired (darn that Writer’s Market anyway — although the online version nowadays is wonderfully up-to-date and worth the cost).

HINDSIGHT: a brand new agent is likely to be derailed by life/family pressures very easily. This does not mean junior agents should be avoided, just that they are higher-risk than an established agent, who has weathered a few crises and remained in business. Anything that disrupts an agent’s face time or phone time with editors is a huge red flag. Also, it can be difficult on a friendship to mix it with business. I’m still friends with Agent #3, but I know most others who have been in my type of situation are not.

Next Up — Backwards to Agent #4 (aka Agent #2)