STATUS: It’s Friday. Over and out!
What’s playing on the XM or iPod right now? YOU MAKE LOVING FUN by Jewel
In Episode 5, I tackle the #1 question when it comes to young adult and middle grade!
I’d say “enjoy” but technical difficulties are making it impossible to upload!
I’ll try again tomorrow. We might have Fridays With Kristin on Monday. LOL.
It’s really Saturdays with Kristin…. I think I finally got it to work.
STATUS: Looking forward to Monday. Sounds odd, I know, but it’s a holiday in Publishing so it will be nice and quiet. No emails.
What’s playing on the XM or iPod right now? IN THE MOOD by Glenn Miller Orchestra
In Episode 4, I identify what I see as the three different age levels within middle grade and how those levels dictate the appropriate word count and page length for a middle grade work.
This is the first video I filmed in the evening. Boy does that make a difference in lighting! I also need to work on the appropriate length of time for transition stills. *grin*
It’s all a work in process.
Enjoy!
STATUS: Looking forward to Monday. Sounds odd, I know, but it’s a holiday in Publishing so it will be nice and quiet. No emails.
What’s playing on the XM or iPod right now? IN THE MOOD by Glenn Miller Orchestra
In Episode 4, I identify what I see as the three different age levels within middle grade and how those levels dictate the appropriate word count and page length for a middle grade work.
This is the first video I filmed in the evening. Boy does that make a difference in lighting! I also need to work on the appropriate length of time for transition stills. *grin*
It’s all a work in process.
Enjoy!
STATUS: A night off can do wonders. I’m actually excited to dive into a client manuscript tonight.
What’s playing on the XM or iPod right now? IS THIS LOVE by Whitesnake
Before blog readers get up in arms over how “cruel” agents can be, you have to remember we work in a creative business. This means there are always a certain number of crazies.
In general, we get 100 to 150 email queries a day. (And after the holidays, we were averaging more like 300 queries a day).
A certain percentage we rule out right away as the writers didn’t research us and are sending stuff we don’t rep (like queries for nonfiction or picture books). We wouldn’t bother with ‘The Stamp.’
A certain percentage are queries that are obviously just thrown together, lack professionalism, and sent out to any number of agents. For these, we wouldn’t bother with ‘The Stamp.’
A certain percentage are well researched, diligently written, and are professional but the project simply isn’t right for us. We take those queries seriously and read every single one of them. Those would definitely not get ‘The Stamp.’
A certain percentage are decently written but just kind of verging on the strange or weird. We wouldn’t use ‘The Stamp’ even for these.
And then there are those remaining few–at least a couple a week. The queries that spotlight, in all its glory, a 200,000 word epic novel about a detachable penis.
Those queries, folks, deserve the WTF Stamp!
STATUS: Time to head home for an evening with my honey.
What’s playing on the XM or iPod right now? I WANT TO KISS YOU ALL OVER by No Mercy
A teacher girlfriend sent me this picture and I have to say, the only drawback to digital queries is that we can’t use this stamp.
*grin*
And trust me, there are many times when it pretty much sums it up for us.
STATUS: I had 180 emails in my inbox when I started the day. I have 189 emails in my inbox when I ended it. Hum… this is not progress.
What’s playing on the XM or iPod right now? Nothing at the moment
Whenever I’m at a writer’s conference, a participant always asks, “how long should my middle grade or young adult novel be?” Well, that’s the wrong question. And my video entry today is to explain why and what is a better question writers should be asking.
Enjoy!
STATUS: We folks here in Denver like to take the Groundhog seriously. If he says 6 more weeks of winter, we say let’s kick it off with 2 feet of snow. Bring on the winter. I’m the only who made it in today. Of course I have an advantage. I walk to work.
What’s playing on the XM or iPod right now? WE ARE YOUNG by Fun.
Invariably when I’m at a writing conference, I always get asked this question. So last weekend, I sat down and organized my thoughts on what I believe to be the core difference between the two.
And today’s entry is simply the first in a couple of videos I’ve recorded on this topic. Enjoy!
STATUS: Through snow and more snow, the show must go on!
What’s playing on the XM or iPod right now? I FALL TO PIECES by Patsy Cline
Without further ado, I’m delighted to debut in 2012 a series of video blog rants called Fridays With Agent Kristin. And I hope you cut me some slack with this first one because let me tell you, this was hard to do.
Let me take that back. It was really easy to do a crappy video clip. To do a decent one took me an hour and 15 or 20 takes to nail a clip that was even remotely worth taking on to the editing stage.
I have a WHOLE new appreciation for anyone in the broadcasting arts. Seriously! You have to concentrate on pacing, breathing, every word, every pause, and oddly enough, every blink of the eyes.
If you blink normally during a video clip, you’ll look very strange in the finished product. Good thing I didn’t know what I was getting into when I started. If I did, it would have never left the idea stage.
So, welcome to Episode 1: How to Become A Literary Agent.
And if you’d like to suggest some topics for me to tackle in future episodes, that’s what the comment section is for. *grin*
STATUS: Rather a quiet week. I’m finally catching up since beginning of year. This might last a week or two but I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts.
What’s playing on the XM or iPod right now? FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD by Jimmy Buffett
I love sopaipillas! Add a little honey and powdered sugar and you’ve got yum. Truly one of my fav desserts.
But SOPA-PIPA, not so much.
As most of you have probably heard by now, there is an internet strike occurring and thousands of sites have gone dark (such as boing boing and wikipedia) in protest.
Both Acts have lovely-intention sounding names: Protect IP Act and Stop Online Piracy Act.
Who doesn’t want to protect intellectual property or stop piracy? The act of piracy steals money out of authors’ pockets and is often like whack-a-mole to stop.
Despite the backing of almost every major publisher, I do believe that both Acts overreach in their scope and there will be serious ramifications if passed.
I could offer some analysis but to be honest, greater minds than mine already have.
Legal Expert Says Online Piracy Bill Is Unconstitutional
Controversial Copyright Bills Would Violate First Amendment
STATUS: 7 pm on a Friday night. This is lame. Oh the glamorous life of an agent…
What’s playing on the XM or iPod right now? Listening to Youtube
Finished with auction. My brain is mush. This is a punt (pun intended).
To borrow from Jon Stewart, this is your Denver Moment of Zen.
*grin* Huge beverage alert.
Monday is MLK day (so no blogging) but coming later next week, a whole new something on the blog called Fridays With Kristin. Stay tuned!