Agent Consult Experience - #WETCon12

I try never to be negative—there’s just so many ways to be positive instead. So I have chosen to relate the positive side of this experience that took place this last weekend at the Writers’ League of Texas Agents Conference.

During my original selection process, I had maneuvered through each conference agent’s web site, special interests (business, in my case), access to major publishers (works with major publishing houses, as well as regional publishers that handle niche markets), special notes (looks for projects that present familiar subjects freshly or less-known subjects presented commercially) & ("This agency focuses on adult nonfiction, stresses strong editorial development and refinement before submitting to publishers, and brainstorms ideas with authors.") There was more to the process than the mentions above, but these several stood out above the others. There was also the mention that the agency had sold 35 titles last year alone.

I selected this agent for my consult and responded to the Writers’ League and the deal was set.

I wanted to be as fresh as possible so I had waited until two days ahead of the conference start to do my in-depth research on the selected agent’s web site and supported product. I gathered as much data from the information available and set off to dig in and be as prepared as possible.

I copied the titles from Business, Memoir and Humor and then conducted research on the authors and the title’s plus the author’s position on both the Amazon and Barnes & Noble sales sites.

In total, I probably spent close to twelve hours reading and lining up notes to study before my consultation. I was prepared.

I studied my pitch and had it down as perfect as I considered necessary—I was positive I was ready for the meeting.

After the conference start, I made sure I attended at least one session that the selected agent sat on the presenting panel. This allowed me to gat that extra-positive feel that I at least had so idea of what to expect when I entered the consult room.

Twenty minutes prior to our meeting, I took the elevator to the seventeenth floor, all the while keeping my eyes on the elevator door—never once looking at the seventeen floor drop that loomed behind me should I somehow encounter a gust of wind that would send me through the glass and tumbling down.

Departing the elevator, I took my seat on murder’s row and awaited my turn. Low and behold, the pitcher preceding me failed to show and I was almost immediately shown into the consult for our ten minute hurrah.

I introduced myself and rolled my pitch as perfectly as I had ever practiced.

Miss Agent responded with one question—almost immediately also: “Where are you working?”

My response, being as upfront as possible: “I’m retired.”

She, again almost immediately, started in on the reasons why she couldn’t take on a business project authored by someone who wasn’t currently working in industry. Her explanation went on for some six or seven minutes. I knew there was not to be an author-agent meeting of the minds—while I was born dumb, I have been getting better ever since.

I’m positive that she never commented once on the quality of my pitch, nor did she ever offer any advice about a different approach. I ask several questions trying to probe her advice on what I had gleamed from other agents and the possibility of different approaches. I’m positive that she had nothing positive to say about the other agents’ advice.

I’m pretty sure that this was my chance to do some talking about my project. I am fairly sure that I spoke no more than a total of one and a half to two minutes out of my allotted ten.

I thanked her for her time, said good bye and departed the room.

I am positive that I am not going to waste much more time in the agent search.

Considering the recurring theme that resounded over and over during the conference, I am positive that I am going to look considerably harder at self-publishing and eBook opportunities.

I am positive that I can do a better job of representing myself than any near sited agent cut off from the reality of the business world and the people within it.

I’m positive.

Hot preparation for Writers’ League of Texas Agents Conference #WLTCon12

Every day lately I have been preparing for this weekend’s Writers’ League of Texas Agents Conference (#WLTCon12)—no small feat, I’m here to tell you.

This will be my third visit to the conference and each time I attend, I seem to learn more and more about what I need to be doing to get an agent and get one of my books published. As yet, I haven’t wrung the bell at the end of the race, but I believe I get closer and closer each time.

Besides the knowledge I take away from the conference, I meet some real interesting peoples and a few characters here and there. The sessions are very informative and hearing advice from other authors and those much sought after agents is interesting at the least. Now, if I can just turn that into an agent selecting me to work with, I will have met the second goal of this quest.

The primary goal being the writing of the book (now 2). I never imagined I had that in me to begin with. Although I had spent a great deal of time writing letters, procedures, regulations and the such my entire career; I never had to put anything into story format.

Oh, I have been a storyteller all along. The primary difference here being that I likely had somewhat of a captive and interested audience and could tailor the depth and length of each story to match the situation. As a great deal of my stories are of a military nature, the translation factor often comes into play during a monolog and this not-be-the-case when writing for a more general audience.

I do keep looking online for other activity under the conference #hastag but as yet have seen very little.

I am looking forward to Friday and this activity getting kicked off and running with it.

Writer’s League of Texas Agents’ Conference Update - 12 Jun 11

Good conference and I learned a lot and may have picked up two of the best suggestions I have received so far in my attempt to turn my writing into a career. Didn’t tie down an agent, although I did get asked to send some of my work to several.

I will followup on these requests as soon as possible.

Met a great bunch of authors in the exact same boat that I am in. When the flood arrived there were plenty of us bailing—all looking for the same solution; someone to help them to the big time.

Ya just have to keep plugging away!

Writer’s League of Texas Agents’ Conference - 10 Jun 11

I’m ready and I’m pumped!

I have my pitch down pat. It’s short and to the point. There’s no way that the right agent can ignore what I have to say.

“Adventures in Everyday Leadership” provides advice and guidance to routine problems facing most managers and supervisors in their everyday world. The manuscript details actual stories of personnel that I worked with over my thirty-seven year journey of research into the reasons why people get into situations that they (most of them) would never attempt when in their right mind.

The project detailing real people and real events, not the contrived and composite personnel of most management and leadership books dealing with this subject matter. The data was not collected by a PhD with a team of graduate students under their direction, but by a member of their own organization who sometimes just happened to get involved in the who-shot-John as it actually took place.

I am really looking forward to this weekend and the association with those, who like me, are struggling to get somewhere in the publishing world. They all have unique stories to tell.

I discovered last year that close to 75% are hoping to get their latest attempt at a Twilight Saga or Vampire Classic to be picked up by an agent who thinks their story has just the right quirk about it to appear fresh and new to the market.

I actually thought serious about changing my title to “Adventures in Leadership without Vampires” just so I could get maybe the slightest bit of attention. I would even add a disclaimer that established the fact that “not one vampire, werewolf or zombie was harmed during the events depicted in the stories or during the transcribing of same.” I may still have to. I’ll let you know after the weekend has run its course.

The one disclaimer that I do have to mention is that some of the names of those involved in the accounts detailed in the project have been changed, like Joe Friday’s announcer used to say “to protect the innocent.” It’s not a problem that you might recognize the actual culprit; it’s more to keep them from bragging about their involvement and//or embarrassment in what really took place. Some would feel downright ashamed that they ever did what they did and some others might start a giggle fit that would do them in at the age they have eventually reached. It’s better to be safe.

Wish me luck!

Writer's League of Texas Agents' Conference

I'm spending a great deal of time this week getting ready for the Writer's League of Texas Agents' Conference this coming weekend.

I have high hopes of something good coming out of my preparation and and my bubbly personality - I don't see how anybody could pass my stuff up - say it just ain't so!

I really look forward to presenting my stuff and meeting with those that are in the same boat as I.