In 2013 I got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to query Janet Reid, SUPER AGENT, (my emphasis). For those who don’t know, Ms. Reid represents a who’s-who of bestsellers: Patrick Lee (The Breach series and RUNNER); Jeff Somers (WRITING WITHOUT RULES); Thomas Lippman, Hilary Holladay, Dana Haynes; Gary Corby; and Phillip DePoy. She also runs the Query Shark blog, providing indispensable advice to those of us in the querying trenches. She’s right there with Donald Maass as top-badass agents, though Mr. Maass has better hair.
Back in 2013, Ms. Reid was a panelist at a Houston Writers Guild conference and was taking direct pitches. I had read Somers’ The Electric Church and to say I was enthused to pitch to Ms. Reid would be an understatement. As a volunteer I signed her in. When she saw my name tag and said, “I need to speak to you,” I damn-near died.
See, all conference attendees had been invited to send participating agents a query letter and the first 10 pages prior to the conference. As a result Ms. Reid had a headstart in our conversations. And she used it. If, in any way, I gave you the impression that would be an uplifting anecdote to inspire you, let me correct that here and now.
Those one-on-ones were rough and Ms. Reid is a tooth-chipper.
The late Roger Paulding, HWG founder and president, budgeted 10 minutes for each meeting. Few went 5 minutes and none were seated with her longer than 5. She was blunt and to the point. I paraphrase due to awestruck (iffy) memory, “You know how to write an action scene but you get in your own way and fuck the rhythm out of your writing.”
Others got a flat, “No.” Well, a “no” and some constructive criticism shotgunned out, late-for-the-train style. She didn’t waste time with me, “You said it’s finished? Email the full to me.”
That was it.
Over the course of four weeks, we exchanged emails. When I received the rejection it really wasn’t a surprise. I knew I wasn’t “there” yet when I queried her but I had already had a near-miss with representation. That experience left me thinking that an agent could take me the rest of the way to “there.”
While Janet Reid is many things, what she isn’t most is an "Uber" driver. She won’t take you there. But Ms. Reid will tell you how, (her blog is the best place to begin) to get there. Her parting advice to me, after telling me what was wrong with my story, was simple: start a blog, write for fun, before you query again, get an editor.
Yes, I come from a long line of knuckleheads.
For a minute after that I wrote nothing. When I did begin to write and query again, I ignored everything she said. Still, agents requested partials and, occasionally, a full. A publisher I admired and met at another conference told me that my book would find a home but it wouldn’t be with his house. In short, more near misses.
Over time, I thought more and more about what Ms. Reid said. But only after I was burnt and busted on writing. I returned to school and got busy with a new career. Still, the words called to me. About a year ago, I started my blog. I also started noodling around with short stories.
The stories are just for my entertainment. Mostly, to see if I can write a romantic piece or science fiction piece, or erotica piece, (maybe not the best choice of words). None of them will ever be seen by anyone else. They’re exercises in economy and phrasing and perspective. It’s fun.
Janet Reid told me to have fun. Walter Mosley told me the same thing at a book signing years before that. I don’t imagine that my long form stuff will be published unless I publish it. I’m working up the courage to do that. That’s work.
My short stuff is fun. It’s why I started writing, over three-decades ago, for fun against long, hard days working rough jobs, and trying to recover from adolescence. Now, it’s fun against the work of publishing which will steal the joy from the life of writing. I write for fun.
No matter where you’re at in your writing endeavors, remember to have fun.
The image above is of unknown provenance but is used for educational/illustrative purposes as covered by the Fair Use Act.
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