WWTBAM Bored

Once more, I find myself without a literary agent. I hung on to the last agency for over three years, but it was clear I was not a high or even medium priority author on the list.

When emails verbal requests are ignored on a frequent basis, it's clear what's going on. It all comes down to money and I was not making them any.

Fear not, for I have sellable manuscripts and I shall find another. Let me just start pushing this rock:

I love Sisyphus - I love when we do it because it's there. Keep truckin'.

You should make sure your manuscripts are screen-play friendly. Develop your characters around big name stars like Miley Cyrus and Ben Stiller. Don't be afraid to compromise your literary integrity.

Vandal wrote:Once more, I find myself without a literary agent. I hung on to the last agency for over three years, but it was clear I was not a high or even medium priority author on the list.

When emails verbal requests are ignored on a frequent basis, it's clear what's going on. It all comes down to money and I was not making them any.

Fear not, for I have sellable manuscripts and I shall find another. Let me just start pushing this rock:

Since I started attracting authors through Facebook and Twitter and LinkedIn, I've seen you and several of the others very actively promoting their books. I've yet to get anything from an agent promoting any author's books. I'm not at all sure how much good they do you. Usually, they only seem to be good at making reasonably successful authors even more successful.

silverscreenselect wrote: Since I started attracting authors through Facebook and Twitter and LinkedIn, I've seen you and several of the others very actively promoting their books. I've yet to get anything from an agent promoting any author's books. I'm not at all sure how much good they do you. Usually, they only seem to be good at making reasonably successful authors even more successful.

The main function of a literary agent is to sell the author's book to an editor for as much money as possible. These editors (preferably at one of the "Big 5" houses) are unreachable by mere writers (only accept submissions from recognized literary agents) so we must go through the gatekeepers. I gave her four books to sell and she couldn't sell any of them, although she put a lot effort put into the first one (now Haney Field). I found publishers (small presses - no agent needed) for all of them after it became obvious no big press was going to snatch them up.

Once a book is sold, some agents do promotion, others don't. One of the issues I had was that this agent paid little attention to my September release and tongue-bathed others. That wouldn't have bothered me so much had she gotten back to me with some long overdue editorial notes.

It was many things, but mostly it came down to communication. When I became a very low priority author, I knew it was time to pull the plug.

I'll find another, better agent. I think The Tick Tock Man is strong enough to get someone's attention.

Oh, and just case anyone was wondering if I'm thinking of quitting my day job anytime soon to become a full-time writer, here is a startling fact: Not counting copies I schlepped myself, I sold exactly

Spoiler

0003

copies of Center Point in 2014.

Now where are my Ferrari keys?

Vandal wrote: .

Oh, and just case anyone was wondering if I'm thinking of quitting my day job anytime soon to become a full-time writer, here is a startling fact: Not counting copies I schlepped myself, I sold exactly 0003 copies of Center Point in 2014.

I know who bought one of them.

Vandal wrote:

Hmmmm... the last time someone decided to use that reference, it became popcorn worthy...

lb13

littlebeast13 wrote:

Vandal wrote:

Hmmmm... the last time someone decided to use that reference, it became popcorn worthy...

lb13

They were just looking for trouble.

Vandal wrote:
Oh, and just case anyone was wondering if I'm thinking of quitting my day job anytime soon to become a full-time writer, here is a startling fact: Not counting copies I schlepped myself, I sold exactly

Spoiler

0003

copies of Center Point in 2014.

Now where are my Ferrari keys?

Are you counting the copy I ordered from the publisher in that number or as one you schlepped yourself?

danielh41 wrote:
Are you counting the copy I ordered from the publisher in that number or as one you schlepped yourself?

Yours would be one of the three. The ones I sold myself were at books signings or to folks who wanted a signed copy.

Thanks!

Vandal wrote:

danielh41 wrote:
Are you counting the copy I ordered from the publisher in that number or as one you schlepped yourself?

Yours would be one of the three. The ones I sold myself were at books signings or to folks who wanted a signed copy.

Thanks!

I ordered the Kindle version last year. You'll have to sign my tablet sometime.

Vandal wrote:

danielh41 wrote:
Are you counting the copy I ordered from the publisher in that number or as one you schlepped yourself?

Yours would be one of the three. The ones I sold myself were at books signings or to folks who wanted a signed copy.

Thanks!

I must be number 3 (paperback, Amazon). Now I feel like I have a rare collector's item. Or did I buy mine in 2013?

Catfish wrote:

Vandal wrote:

danielh41 wrote:
Are you counting the copy I ordered from the publisher in that number or as one you schlepped yourself?

Yours would be one of the three. The ones I sold myself were at books signings or to folks who wanted a signed copy.

Thanks!

I must be number 3 (paperback, Amazon). Now I feel like I have a rare collector's item. Or did I buy mine in 2013?

I may have bought mine in 2013 too.

danielh41 wrote: I may have bought mine in 2013 too.

Come to think of it, I bought mine in 2013 as well.

However, you've gotten eight reviews which is a fairly high number for a book by a little known author with no track record who hasn't given it away on Amazon. And I know that at least one of them is from one of Amazon's most highly regarded reviewers.

Vandal wrote: Oh, and just case anyone was wondering if I'm thinking of quitting my day job anytime soon to become a full-time writer, here is a startling fact: Not counting copies I schlepped myself, I sold exactly 0003 copies of Center Point in 2014.

From a purely selfish standpoint, I feel a bit better after reading this and then looking at the still meager statistics from my own website and social media efforts.