STATUS: Too early in the morning to say but I’ve got a contract to tackle and I’m determined to finish this today. I’m also having lunch with estimable Bella Stander and if you haven’t checked out her website and blog, do.
What song is playing on the ipod right now? TWO STEP—Dave Matthews Band
I am in a ranting state of mind this morning. Invigorating.
Folks, agents blog anonymously for a reason. It’s so they can be blunt and honest. Completely so.
I don’t blog anonymously for a couple of reasons: 1) It’s fun to be recognized if folks like my blog, 2) I like to educate writers and if I’m in teaching mode, then it’s good that writers know who I am, and 3) The marketing aspect, duh. I’m sure most of you have already caught on to this racket of mine. My blog is a great marketing tool—for me, for my agency, for my authors.
Some altruism sure because I like helping writers but if I sell just one of my author’s books because of my blog… great.
Hope that wasn’t a surprise to any of you this morning.
But because I’m not anonymous, I do have to censor myself. I’m forthright but I can’t always be as forthcoming as Agent 007 or Miss Snark (and let me tell you, I read their blogs; they are indeed forthright and deliciously so).
So lately I’ve been receiving emails from various friends in the industry giving me the latest theory of who is Miss Snark. Here we go again. It’s human nature to want to reveal what is secret I guess. Think Deep Throat and Watergate.
I, myself, have actually been accused of being her. (Kristin laughs delightedly.)
Let me put that rumor to rest. Folks, I’m from Missouri. I’m too nice too to have that razor-sharp sardonic wit—although I often envy it and wish to channel her.
Besides, I don’t care to know who she is. I know she’s an agent. She’s too spot-on with her answers not to be.
Now I can tell you this is true. Her blog often states bluntly what many agents, including me, often think but keep to ourselves.
And for that, we are grateful to her and I for one would like her to continue.
Anonymously.
Amen to that. Much of her advice can’t be found in the writing books out there, and she’s willing to take on specific questions as well.
I hope we never find out who she is.
I completely agree. It’s nice to know that someone out there in agentland is willing to answer the nitwit questions and be completely honest.
I also appreciate those agents (as yourself) who don’t blog anonymously. You become real people to us, and not just a name in a book or website. It’s interesting to “know” alittle bit about an agent. And, for me, it makes it seem alittle less scary to query.
Thanks for taking the time to show us your world.
It’s like finding out your parents are Santa. Who needs to know- isn’t enough that there are presents under the tree. (I hope I’m not blowing the secret for anyone out there)
Blogs can be a wonderful tool and it’d be super cool if you saw some added benefits to your agency because of it. I enjoy your teaching. Keep it up! 🙂
I really don’t want to know who Miss Snark or Agent 007 are. The blogs are bluntly honest and informative, and I hope they continue to be so.
k dear, I trust you meant “censor” and not “censure.” After all you’re not the president. 🙂
(Sorry– once you’ve had me in fine-tuning mode, it’s hard to let go!)
Agreed, Kristin. Agreed.
Here’s to MS, long may she snark.
Here’s to Agent 007, may she return in full force.
Yep, I agree. I think everyone who stumbles across MS or 007 thinks at first that it would be great to know who they are…but after a little while you get over it, and realize it wouldn’t be nearly as special or fun if we knew.
One caveat though: if MS ever quit, I’d want to find out who she is.
We Missouri girls rock, don’t we?!
oops! I do condemn myself regularly though. : )
“Censor” would work better. This is why I shouldn’t blog first thing in the mornin.’
Simon Cowell takes a lot of heat for the same thing: telling the truth about talent and the lack thereof.
I applaud your work as an honest critic of writing and your efforts to find ways to inspire authors to hone their craft. I know a couple of Missouri women. They could hold a candle to your caustic New Yawk contemporaries. Your style and professionalism prove far more educational and supportive.
Laughed out loud at your heads up about the “Hot Genre of Chick Lit That is Now in the Toilet.” Ah, I coulda been a contenda…
This is a fantastic blog. A new bookmark in my faves, for sure.
Sometimes Miss Snark is witty and funny and sometimes she slips over the razor-thin edge of sarcasm into nasty-mean. I read her, but I prefer those editor and agents (you, Deidre, Anna from Tor, etc) who tell us like it is. I do learn from you all.
Stephanie
1/2 of Cai Stephan
Hm, I’ve never witnessed Miss Snark being mean. If you need to be blasted with a Cluezi, she graciously takes time out of her day to do it. I’m surprised by people who send her questions and then expect her to be nice. She’s the gal to go to for honesty.
Not sure if you’re talking about the same thing, but I got a tremendously nasty email about Miss Snark yesterday. Sounded like sour grapes, to be honest, given all the professionals who agree with Miss Snark. Who cares about the time she has on her hands – maybe she’s part-time??
I like what Agent007 has to say, but she doesn’t post frequently and she doesn’t seem as accessible as Miss Snark. I look at all agents’ blogs as filling holes the others can’t cover. There’s plenty to go around. Who needs to quibble?
I don’t want to know who Miss Snark is. I don’t want to think “oh, Miss Snark rejected me.”
I just appreciate her good advice. Shame on those who want to “out” miss snark. Shame! Shame!
Oh, and I’ve never seen her be mean either.
I got the same email yesterday that Christa Miller did. It was not only nasty and mean-spirited, but filled with misinformation. I trashed it. Whether anonymous or not, I’m grateful for the agents who blog. Long may they wave!
Seriously, where would be the fun in KNOWING who Miss Snark is?
Three cheers for blogging agents, anonymous or not. 🙂 And were it not for Miss Snark, I’d never have found you here… so glad I did.
Thanks for enlightening us; it’s good to know that agents are human, after all. 🙂
-S
Holey Moley, I know who Miss Snark is! She’s Trilby Elliot! (pg 38, Finders Keepers, iced gin, dead give-away!)
I, too, prefer the mystery.
If she becomes weary of doling out advice maybe she’ll pull an Andy Kaufman and pass the mantle of Miss Snark onto someone else.
Regardless, I hope she remains in the shadows, dispensing good advice for an age to come.
Almost sounds like a spite campaign, remembering “anonymous” here.
I agree with Bella.
I’m just grateful they blog.
Put it this way.
You work in the Daily Planet. You’re the copy boy. There’s a plain guy in glasses up on the seventh floor in the sports section. He’s nice, mild mannered and isn’t rude to you when you are the most junior overworked member of the newspaper. Oh and he uses public telephones a lot.
Every so often you look up into the sky. It’s not a bird. It’s not a plane.
IT’S SUPERMAN!!!
Now you have to wonder why nobody guessed but they didn’t. The Daily Planet had a mild mannered reporter who wrote well.
And the world had a hero who was able to leap tall buildings in a single bounce…
Penny
I assume that “Miss Snark” is not necessarily like whatever agent writes for that character, any more than I am the twentysomething snowboarder who narrates the novel I’m working on. She’s a literary persona, not a real person.
It wouldn’t even surprise me if Miss Snark was written by more than one person.
I think that Miss Snark’s voice is too consistent to be multiple people.
“bound”, Penny, “bound”.
I have dealt directly with Miss Snark and found her to be duplicitous, or should I say two faced. One personna is reflected on her handling of blog posts, and the other is shown to the masses in her very helpful “main page” posts for the benefit of Authors and agents. If you’ld like to see the details of my experience, vistit the link below.
http://www.highstakesplayer.net/Yarbrough_Brer_Rabbit.pdf
I’ve enjoyed reading your webblog posts here. CUDOS! Keep up the great work…
Ben Yarbrough
ps. I lived in Denver 25 years ago. I’m sure it is much different today.
Apparently the software cut off part of the link address I listed–
I’ll try again.
http://www.highstakesplayer.net/Yarbrough_
Brer_Rabbit.pdf
I came to you via Miss Snark. I had to chuckle about the comment you made here about you being too nice, and it having to do with you being from Missouri. I grew up in Missouri and am also, I fear, overburdened with the nice gene.
Actually, mostly it is an asset, except for a few rare moments when i would really like to zing someone but find the big fat hand of decorum plastered over my mouth.
Thanks for your great blog. I just added you to my bloglines a day or two ago.
Mary
I came to you via Miss Snark. I had to chuckle about the comment you made here about you being too nice, and it having to do with you being from Missouri. I grew up in Missouri and am also, I fear, overburdened with the nice gene.
Actually, mostly it is an asset, except for a few rare moments when I would really like to zing someone but find the big fat hand of decorum plastered over my mouth.
Thanks for your great blog. I just added you to my bloglines a day or two ago.
Mary