Friday, May 28, 2004

File 501

 
John Frain asked
how does one land in your "Prospects" file? Are those writers that catch your eye with a short story or who win a flash fiction contest or post on your blog at 7:11 so you figure they must be lucky people in general?
 

No. They are people who have submitted work for consideration. People who win a flash fiction contest are in my data base as just that: flash fiction contest winners. I don't really reach out to writers who haven't sent work for consideration. My experience has taught me that writers who do not go through the tempering flames of QueryHell are often a bit too "easy come easy go"  about their agent.

3 comments:

John Davis Frain said...

I can resist anything except temptation. And this was too tempting for me to pass on. It's an interesting observation about writers who don't pass through the fires of QueryHell. Never would have thought about it, but the connection makes sense.

Anonymous said...

Interesting. Very interesting. I can't imagine thinking anything about the process of getting, or keeping, an agent is "easy." Regardless of how it happens. But I haven't yet queried anyone, so what do I know. Perhaps that will change one of these days.

Lisa Bodenheim said...

I think I understand that concept--easy come easy go.

Dad gave me an old lawn mower for my first house many moons ago. No user manual, just some verbal instructions. I didn't take great care of it. BUT, when I bought a lawn mower? Boy howdy did I treat it right.

So here's hoping after I go through those tempering flames of QueryHell, I'll actually end up with an agent!