Had an editor straightsplain gender to me. I am like, “I’m queer, the author is queer and genderqueer, do I have to explain to you that we know gender and gender presentations better than you do?”

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Had an editor straightsplain gender to me. I am like, “I’m queer, the author is queer and genderqueer, do I have to explain to you that we know gender and gender presentations better than you do?”
Hi, Caitlin, big fan of your blog! I was wondering if you had any tips for someone who's interested in working as an agent? I graduated a year ago and now work for a mid-sized publishing company. Since helping authors is my favorite part of my job, I'd love to give agenting a try. But I don't have many connections that could lead to internships, and I'm not in NYC yet. Is it okay to send my resume to agencies I like (just to inquire), or is that frowned upon?
Some agencies may not like that, but honestly, it doesn’t hurt to try. Lots of publishing positions that open up are not advertised publicly, but are instead circulated around publishers and agencies asking “if they know anyone” they can recommend--so, yes, there’s a lot of networking involved. Since you’re already in a publishing house, you’re already in a better position to network than most, plus you’ll have some extra credibility if you reach out to agencies cold. Reaching out may at least get you a notification when such a position becomes open. Also keep an eye on agencies’ social media accounts; sometimes internship openings are posted there.
It is going to be harder to find something if you’re not in NYC, but not all agencies are NYC-based, and remote internships do exist--we have them at DMLA, in fact. Also, aim for paid! Publishing has long been an industry that doesn’t pay its interns (I started that way; it sucks), but that is starting to change, and more and more agencies offer stipends or hourly wages. You deserve to be paid for your work!
However, I’m going to give you the honest truth about agenting: it is very, very hard to get started as an agent without some additional means to support yourself. Ideally, you’ll start in an assistant position to an agent who will mentor you and support you, and you can start building your own list within a couple of years. An assistant position is a great place to start not only because it’s how you learn, but also because it is salaried. Once you become a full agent, you will be paid based on commission instead... which means you only earn money when your authors do. Given the slow nature of publishing (typically 2 years from deal to pub date), this means it can be years before you start really seeing an actual return on your time. The general rule of thumb is that it takes about five years for agents to be able to support themselves on their agenting income alone. So be ready with a plan for how you’ll stay in the game when the going gets rough--because it will get rough sometimes.
If that doesn’t deter you, then great! Wanting to help authors is why I went into agenting as well, and it’s honestly such a wonderful part of my job. I hope you have luck with the job search, and feel free to ask if you have any more questions!
#WomenCrushWednesday & #NewWorkAlert! We interrupt our regularly scheduled post to bring you Dean Freeman's latest!
Check out this uplifting short ‘Make HERstory,’ which follows young Bangkok-based boxer Jade Marrisa Sirisompan, as she pushes herself to the limit and mentors other girls along the way, with spoken-word by artist Ty Scott King.
Director: @deanfreeman DOP: Joshua C Fry Voice-Over: Ty Scott King Copywriter: Tony Burke
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writing a new book and it's going well
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