STATUS: Tomorrow will be TGIT. Hey, don’t get to say that often.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? ROUTE 66 by Natalie Cole
I imagine blog readers wonder what agents do all day besides sitting around eating bon-bons and looking glamorous (which is something I’m still trying to achieve).
It’s almost 5 in the afternoon and that in itself has me scratching my head. What did I do all day?
Well, here it is in a nutshell.
Morning
1. Answered emails that didn’t get handled yesterday. This took about 2 hours.
2. RWA is fast approaching so although the NLA dinner party is all organized (thanks to Sara), I’m working on my appointments to schedule with clients, editors, etc.
3. I’m attending the Maui Writers Conference in August so this morning I worked with their travel coordinator to set up the travel.
4. At 11:30 a.m., I had a phone conference with two Hollywood producers who happen to like my books and wanted to get to know me better.
Afternoon
1. Started review of a Hollywood film contract for one of my clients. Got interrupted numerous times so I’m going to have to start anew tomorrow. That’s what I plan to achieve in the morning as I think most publishing folks are taking the long weekend so I probably won’t have a lot of interruptions.
2. Answered some rather urgent emails that had come in.
3. Did a phone conference between a client and the editor to discuss marketing/promotion plans for a 2009 spring release.
4. For a different client, reviewed the marketing/promo plan that I had discussed with the author’s editor earlier in the week but the editor was finally sending me the outline. Thrilled with the big plans the publisher has in mind. This title will be the hardcover lead for this publisher in spring 2009 in the adult trade market.
5. Reviewed a client payment that Sara had processed.
6. Started reading through queries that are marked for me to review (which I have neglected horribly for the last 4 weeks). I’ve read through about 70 of them but have another 100 to go. Have to leave the office soon but I’m hoping to tackle some more for the next 20 minutes.
7. Took 15 minutes to write this blog entry.
It was really cool of you to post this. I think we all know how busy agents are and that they all work nutty hours, but it’s nice to see “a day in the life.” Also a good reminder that our query is only one of many things you have to attend to. I’ll take waiting a little longer ANY day over you feeling like you have to power through them because we’re out here impatiently tapping our collective feet…
And we appreciate that you took the time to write that blog! 😀
“besides sitting around eating bon-bons and looking glamorous (which is something I’m still trying to achieve).”
I thought that’s what writers did.
So, when I find the perfect agent, a box of exclusive bon-bons and a gift certificate to a spa so they can feel glamorous would be an appropriate thank you gift for selling my book?
You all make the romance conferences sound like so much fun. I am tempted to switch genres.
“As men go, he should have. Instead, he leaned against the gate, with his hat cocked off to one side, and a come hither look in those wide, blue eyes.”
All right, never mind. I’ll stick to fantasy.
Actually, it sounds like a fascinating, if hectic, day.
I’m eternally grateful for people such as you who enjoy what you do. Even more grateful it’s not my job.
I’ll stick to being a writer so I can eat bon-bons and look glamorous. Just a minute, need to clean the horse poo off my boots and strike a glamorous pose.
Hey, don’t you know it’s the stay at home moms who sit around eating bon-bons all day. You’re in the wrong line of work!
You eat bon bons AND drink champagne, right? That’s what I heard. Except some agents get a headache from the bubbly and have to drink Chablis.
But wow, seriously, you had a busy day!
Well, now we know what you do all the day, we’ll be sure to keep an eye out for bon bons… although I prefer a fresh mango + raspberry smoothie myself.
Wow!
I hope you carve some down time out of the holiday weekend! Good luck with the Hollywood deal, that would be exciting :o)
Thanks for saving some time for us ~ we appreciate you!