Jodi Cox Author Blog

3/3/2013

Well its Sunday at seven am. I haven't had my coffee yet, instead I'm plugging away at this webpage. Trying to think of what a agent wants to see on a authors blog. To be honest, the query process has been educational, heart breaking, and just plain scary. 

If I were the agent I'd want a synopsis of the books and traffic stats from previous writing endevors. I guess the world doesn't work the way my brain does. Or else I wouldn't have of a list of 87 agents I need to query. 

I had a interesting idea last night come to me while watching tv. What if the world were reversed and it was actually the authors who got to interview the agents. What would I actually want in a agent?  After all I don't want just any old agent that would accept me, I want some one who I could work with and not just put up with. Then occured to me that would be a perfect topic for blog entry.

The Agent of My Dreams

• Number one quality, I would pick in a agent would be hungry.  Many of you are probably shaking your heads, wondering why I didn't say experience first. I think a hunger in a agent is more important.  When agents become extremely successful and has a full list of blockbuster and bestsellers, they don't work as hard for the new people. Why I don't flaw that lifestyle those agents have earned. I think some one who is hungry for new talent will do a better job to represent me. I am a driven writer, I want a agent who is just as driven.
• Trait number two I want would be well connected. Obviously a agent without connections, wouldn't get me far. My dream agent should know some one at Scholastic, and Hyperion, and Harper Teens and Del Rey. They should be able to push my book into the hands of people who matter. Because they are hungry they should be able to close the deal.
• Third quality I would like in a agent would be, marketing genius. I already know how to make my own web pages set up a twitter account and use facebook. Aggregate press releases. I've been in internet marketing for years and could easily turn my book into a ebook with smash words. But I want someone that has more knowledge of marketing than myself. So a marketing genius who has great ideas on how to get my book into many people hands would be fantastic. I want some one who has a young mind understands the changing publishing industry and knows how to make money in this horrible recession. 
• Forth quality I want in my agent would be a nerd. I am a nerd and obviously whoever represents me should like the things that I write, so a science fiction and fantasy nerd, would understand my audience as well as I, and would be able to market my manuscript. If my agent doesn't understand Doctor Who or why people play D&D then how well are they connected to my audience? I write for teenage nerds, so they should be able to connect with there inner geek, find the best publishers for my work.
• The fiveth trait I would to have is a editorial agent. I see too many books that go out bloated scenes that should have never been released. As a author I do not mind having some one other than myself telling me a scene really doesn't fit the manuscript and needs to come out.  I want to release the best work possible, and editors usually will not tell a writer if a scene is dragging down the book.  I want a agent who is willing to work hands on with a manuscript and not farm me out to some one who will care nothing for my work see's me as a paycheck. 

So if you are a A hungry, well connected, marketing nerd. That likes to takes a editorial approach with a manuscript.  I'm dreaming of you, and hopefully one of my query letters will find you soon.