May 27, 2011 | By: Tracy

Hug an Agent Day

I hearby declare Friday, May 27th as Hug An Agent Day!

There is no secret that, on most days, literary agents are both lauded & maligned by the unagented segment of the writer populace.

We need an agent. We want an agent. But it can be hard not to get annoyed with what we believe to be their "shortcomings".

What do you mean I have to personalize my query letter to you only to receive a "Dear Author" rejection?!?

Yeah, I know. No sense in preaching to the choir.

But, considering the fact I got back from my big, annual day-job conference last Wednesday and I'm STILL not caught up on all the things I missed while I was gone, I'm feeling extremely sympathetic to literary agents as a whole.

I was gone for a week. One week.

In that one week, I managed to fall woefully behind on blogging, emails, social medializing (this would be the act of interacting with others via social media, just in case anyone is confused), the housework, the work built up on the desk at my day-job . . . and don't even get me started on the amount of behind I am with my WIP word target!

I'm working like crazy to get caught up and it's like trying to climb a steep mountain covered in vaseline (the mountain being covered in vaseline, not me).

It's at times like this, it makes it easier to realize why it can take 12 weeks to hear back on a query letter. Or why we can wait as much as 6 months to hear back on a partial. Agents are always stuck in catch-up-mode just by the sheer volume of work headed their way. And I shiver to think what happens when they take time off for a conference, etc.

Next time you want to rail at the amount of time it takes to hear back from literary agents, or want to grumble over their "holier than thou" attitude toward would-be writers. Keep in mind that maybe they're just super duper swamped too.

So, I think a Hug an Agent Day is called for.

Just please make sure you know said agent and/or have given them sufficient warning as to why you are invading their personal space. We do still have laws in this country and I'm not sure, but I think you can get in trouble for tackling someone for affection they don't know is coming their way.

Happy Friday!!

13 witty remarks:

Stina said...

So you're saying this isn't a good day to tell an agent that you're passing on her offer for representation? LOL And that we shouldn't send a sparkly "I love you" with a query to that dream agent? :D

Tracy said...

Stina, you can tell her you're passing on her representation so long as you give her a hug (virtual for you Canadians) when you do it! ;o)

Chris Phillips said...

Glad you aren't covered in vaseline. No agent would want to hug you if you were.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

What if I don't know any agents? Who do I hug?

erica and christy said...

I was unexpectedly gone for 3 of my last 6 days of work before summer vacation (I'm a teacher), which means I missed my last chance at finishing testing and doing report cards along with ANYTHING to do with writing, blogging, etc. It took just about 24 hours a day for those last 3 days to keep up with what I absolutely HAD TO DO (i.e. report cards) and my first week of vacay will be doing the rest of the stuff.

WHY OH WHY does it take twice as long to catch up as it would have taken to do it in the first place??
erica

Coreene Callahan said...

Man, I was only away for four day (just four!!) and I'm so behind I can't tell how far along I am. It makes me want to eat ice cream in unhealthy amounts. lol.

But, I'm game. I'll hug an agent. . .but, umm, better finish my ice cream frist

Saumya said...

I am so behind as well so I'm with you on hugging an agent.

KM Nalle said...

I'll hug the first one I find, and I'm telling them you told me to. Tee hee.

Su said...

I'm not much of a hugger; it is okay if I smile brightly and wave at an agent? ;)

Meredith said...

So true. It's amazing how much work agents do. I hope you catch up soon!

Regina said...

I got way behind as well and am still struggling to catch up on things. I think the hug an agent idea is great. Now I have to find one to hug...hmmm!

LTM said...

my agent gets lots of hugs from me, but I do know what you mean about feeling so totally drowning behind. And I know I'd get the itch if I had that many emails in my inbox waiting for me to read them... bleah.

take care, honey! ((hugs))

PK HREZO said...

Hi Tracy! I think thats a great idea! I get little glimpses of how agents must feel too.... all those hopefuls drifting in the slush and so many that need work. Must be aggravating. Ever hear them talk about rejection when a story they love goes to another agent? Very interesting. Everyone in this biz feels the sting at some time.

I'm checking out your post from last week. Glad your back! :)

Post a Comment