tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852732000350296596.post5198548371398630618..comments2023-11-02T09:08:34.954-04:00Comments on KwanaWrites...: Ask The AgentUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852732000350296596.post-7619730034138658912008-07-22T10:29:00.001-04:002008-07-22T10:29:00.001-04:00Anonymous - I'll post on this question this week, ...Anonymous - I'll post on this question this week, I figure this is a good topic for anyone who might be crossing my path in SF! Should help folks like Cathy out too!Elaine Spencerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01160826046835220083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852732000350296596.post-53272492959919024482008-07-22T10:29:00.000-04:002008-07-22T10:29:00.000-04:00Cathy - Your question about how many books to pitc...Cathy - <BR/>Your question about how many books to pitch is a great one. THe best thing to do is to be prepared and educated about what types of projects the agent/editor you might be meeting with is interested in. Or if you don't have the time to plan you can just ask them "what are you interested in" - If you have a project that matches those interests focus on that.<BR/><BR/>I see a lot of authors who want to take advantage of their time and so they try to pitch their life collection of work hoping one of the titles sticks, in my opinion this is a mistake. I think authors should focus on confidently *key word here* pitching one title, selling that manuscript and their talent hard core. That is going to hook me and make me want to jump into that, then if that snags my eye of course I'll be interested in what else you have an eventually the conversation will lead there anyways. <BR/><BR/>Basically your goal should be to get your best piece of writing seen. If the story isn't for me but I love the writing, again I'll ask what else you have and naturally be led there. <BR/><BR/>You don't want to appear desperate though and pitch 6 different titles because it can have the adverse effect of making you look unfocused - <BR/><BR/>Hope this helps!Elaine Spencerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01160826046835220083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852732000350296596.post-43912796811136105232008-07-22T10:23:00.000-04:002008-07-22T10:23:00.000-04:00Santa - The business card question is always a doo...Santa - The business card question is always a doozy because really in my opinion author business cards serve little purpose unless I'm looking for the information to contact you. As I said I will meet hundreds (literally) of new faces next week and the business card isn't going to help me remember you unless it perhaps has your picture on it. <BR/><BR/>During the course of my day I don't flip through my business card piles looking for authors to contact to try to find new material. <BR/><BR/>You can certainly pass your business card along to be polite, and it won't make you look like a crazed author, however, will it really benefit you? Thats an entirely different question.Elaine Spencerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01160826046835220083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852732000350296596.post-25579977285958426112008-07-21T13:10:00.000-04:002008-07-21T13:10:00.000-04:00Hi Natasha! Thanks so much for your kind words and...Hi Natasha! Thanks so much for your kind words and I'm so happy you came to visit. Please stop back and comment often. Sadly, I don't meet the criteria for Womenectera. I'm off by 10 plus years:) But they are going fast, so soon... Thanks for thinking of me though. I'll be lurking there because it looks like lots of great info.Kwanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06428954660974395117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852732000350296596.post-14221214669259422212008-07-21T11:51:00.000-04:002008-07-21T11:51:00.000-04:00Hi Kwana!Interesting post! :) Having come across y...Hi Kwana!<BR/><BR/>Interesting post! :) Having come across your blog, I cannot help but ask you to join us at www.womenetcetera.com. We'd love to have someone like you (ever the enthusiast!) join our ranks. We're women who meet and talk online, exchange articles, blog, gossip, have fun and enjoy life. Basically, we're women who believe in ourselves, and are into embracing the changes that occur in our lives and transition smoothly into the new beings we're becoming!:) <BR/><BR/>Visit us and see for yourself.Natashahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18127072274145178044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852732000350296596.post-26847594971136793102008-07-21T10:57:00.000-04:002008-07-21T10:57:00.000-04:00Here is a question From Cathy that I'm posting for...Here is a question From Cathy that I'm posting for her:<BR/><BR/>Great advice! <BR/><BR/>Is it a good idea to pitch more than one book if the author has a few ready?Kwanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06428954660974395117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852732000350296596.post-59270710514873036042008-07-20T22:32:00.000-04:002008-07-20T22:32:00.000-04:00Thanks for the comments everyone and your kind wor...Thanks for the comments everyone and your kind words. <BR/><BR/>Carmen, we have your questions. I'll put it in line for Elaine along with the old one and hopefully she'll get to it. I'll see if I can make it a special request. She usually does one a week. Whichever strike her that week so it takes a while and unfortunately not all get answered but I'll definitely put it in line. Thanks so much! Oh and although I'm a pretty good faker I'm terrible shy too so I know how you feel.Kwanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06428954660974395117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852732000350296596.post-21893960114549174442008-07-20T11:37:00.000-04:002008-07-20T11:37:00.000-04:00As my mother has always told me to "just be yourse...As my mother has always told me to "just be yourself" and things will work out.<BR/>Love this post and think that as far as etiquette, well the "squeaky wheel gets the oil" and that is another thing that my mother told me! Squeak, squeak! :)pve designhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03527745630303158002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852732000350296596.post-19322236303361098502008-07-20T00:12:00.000-04:002008-07-20T00:12:00.000-04:00Hi Kwana & Elaine,That was a terrific post. Th...Hi Kwana & Elaine,<BR/><BR/>That was a terrific post. Thanks! I'm thinking of attending a conference soon and your insight was very much appreciated. :) My problem is I'm very shy and even in normal circumstances I find initiating conversations quite the challenge. But, c'est la vie! The only thing I can do is try to be as relaxed and as open as possible. ("paralyzers", anyone? Hah, just kidding!)<BR/><BR/>Kwana, I don't know if you passed this on or not, but I'm still curious to hear Elaine's reply to the question asked by Natalie on June 6: "Do you feel that the state of the economy has affected book publishing? Are editors more skittish about acquiring books by first-time authors, for example? Or once a book comes out, are smaller marketing budgets making it harder for an author to get the word out about her book?"<BR/><BR/>You can also add my own question to the queue if you like. This one hasn't been asked yet (I checked) but it's a standard question so I thought I'd throw it in the hat: <BR/>"Can you discuss the genres you represent? (Feel free to talk about your current clients and/or fave reads if applicable) Are you looking for anything in particular and/or what's on your wishlist?"<BR/> <BR/>I know I can probably find the answer by doing a little online research, but I'm curious to find out about your most up-to-date interests. <BR/><BR/>Thanks, ladies! This weekly feature has been very helpful to me as a writer. <BR/>~CarmenAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852732000350296596.post-61412387688932752672008-07-19T22:52:00.000-04:002008-07-19T22:52:00.000-04:00Excellent advice! Thanks, Elaine and Kwana.Vanessa...Excellent advice! Thanks, Elaine and Kwana.<BR/><BR/>VanessaAuthornesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06345016028101633473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852732000350296596.post-13554017300894889862008-07-19T10:05:00.000-04:002008-07-19T10:05:00.000-04:00Wow, this was a fantastic post. Thank you so much ...Wow, this was a fantastic post. Thank you so much for your time, Elaine!!Rhonda Helmshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11855833088957182413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852732000350296596.post-20711294654809435712008-07-18T23:37:00.000-04:002008-07-18T23:37:00.000-04:00I witnessed someone trying to pass pages under the...I witnessed someone trying to pass pages under the bathroom stall at RWA in NYC in what...2004? I was embarrassed for the woman.Marley Gibsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11645678180669587782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852732000350296596.post-50667194333534359162008-07-18T23:25:00.000-04:002008-07-18T23:25:00.000-04:00Yep I'll be in San Fran. I can't wait. Please be s...Yep I'll be in San Fran. I can't wait. Please be sure to say Hi to me when you see me.Kwanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06428954660974395117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852732000350296596.post-13111538514191859002008-07-18T13:49:00.000-04:002008-07-18T13:49:00.000-04:00Wonderful post, as always! Kwana, will you be in S...Wonderful post, as always! Kwana, will you be in SF? Hoping to see both you and Elaine there :).Marilyn Branthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05303846770348840645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852732000350296596.post-91290110507994371732008-07-18T11:29:00.000-04:002008-07-18T11:29:00.000-04:00Naturally, you're right. You are human like the r...Naturally, you're right. You are human like the rest of us - except our fate and the fate of our books lie in your hands - other than that - you're human to the bone. <BR/><BR/>I've been guilty of not saying hello on elevators and halls. I was passing it off as New York Aloofness. I'll try to work on that.<BR/><BR/>Is it okay to give you our business card whether or not we've had a conversation about our manuscript?Santahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770231939962704822noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6852732000350296596.post-12036358792455655192008-07-18T11:14:00.000-04:002008-07-18T11:14:00.000-04:00No slipping anything under your door?Crap. What am...No slipping anything under your door?<BR/><BR/>Crap. What am I going to do with that deflatable Chippendales dancer now?Kristen Painterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07984459504977637298noreply@blogger.com