Heidi's Notes: Are Literary Agents Superheroes in Disguise? →
Here’s a summary as far as querying.
- Keep your head up.
- You are not the only query in the slush pile
- You do NOT have to compete with the whole slush pile, only a handful of others
- Agents are VERY busy people; respect their time.
- Rejection is inevitable, but it’s okay. Rejection is in the process of finding the perfect agent for your awesome story. It won’t fit everyone, but if it’s ready (truly ready) then it WILL fit with someone. Rejection is the way agents find what resonates with them, so they can represent it and help you to the best of their abilities. So, you should look at it as a way for you to find the agent that will be the best help for you and your story. Rejection isn’t within itself negative. It’s positive reinforcement to help you realize your dreams. (Rejection mini-post! I’ll do another full length post on this next week.)
- Always be professional, but friendly and approachable for agents too. It’s perfectly all right to ask questions.
- Agents aren’t superheroes. They are just like you and me.
- Lastly, dreams do come true and agents can help you with that, if you’ll help them in return.
