I'm often asked what makes the "perfect client," and the only answer I have is a great sense of communication. The desire to keep me posted on all things good and bad so that if something can be done (even if you don't know it can) I can jump in and do it.
One thing a few of my clients do that I LOVE is send me monthly or quarterly updates. Even if it's information I know or have it's extremely helpful. I get an email that says something like this:
Delivered Book 3 in series X, awaiting revisions
Finished copyedits on Book 2 in series Y, love the new cover
Starting promotion on series Y
Release date of series x is next week
Had long talk with editor about new ideas and will run those by you when I have time to think about them more.
Now, I do try to check in with clients occasionally, and to some maybe I check in too often, but an email like this helps the author center herself and feel a sense of completion and helps the agent step in with thoughts she might have. Maybe I never saw the cover so can remind her to send me a copy for the website, or maybe I just had my own brilliant idea for a new idea for her and this is the perfect time to send it along. Even if I have nothing to add, keeping an agent in the loop helps everyone work together better, which is what we're all striving for.
Jessica
7 comments:
Lots of posts out there this morning about working with an agent and the agent's role. I would be so good at communicating!
On another note, is anyone else having trouble with these new verification words Blogger wants?
Yvonne, for the last few weeks I've only been able to post on blogger anonymously. It won't accept a sign-in from me. Must be some new improvement to the system.
As for the new words, they're unreadable.
I think they're meant for drunks to read.
Just keep pressing that circular arrow next to the word prompt to make it show a new, and hopefully more readable, pattern.
Jessica, what kind of updates do you do while you're trying to sell an author's work? Do you send them regular updates?
Regarding the word verification: these are pretty bad, but I either haven't gotten any wrong, or they don't care, they just want you to type something in.
It's a good way to keep the communication open. So many times authors read more into silence than they should.
If you click on the ?, there's an option to tell Capcha about the problem we all appear to be having with the new system.
This will appear if I can get the words right this time. If not, I gave up. LOL
Jessica, how much is too much contact? I suspect I'd get itchy with quarterly updates. Even if I didn't have that much to share, I'd want to feel I had regular contact with somebody who is so important to my writing career.
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