Monday, April 20, 2009

ALERT: A Temporary Hold on Queries

As of right now, the queries@thebentagency in-box is completely full and if you send e-mail you will receive an error message. I'm asking that people please hold off on querying for a week or two (and please don't send directly to my e-mail or to info@thebentagency.com). I'll let you know when we've gotten everything caught up. We are working through over 1,000 queries. Thanks so much to everyone for thinking of me.

8 comments:

  1. Isn't the economy grand? I really don't envey agents right now. Seems like everyone in the universe wants to write that book they've always wanted to write or worse, to whip out a few pages and make some quick cash (ha! if they only knew). Hope you're able to get through them without losing your sanity, unless of course being insane will make my query look like the next Pynchon.

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  2. You have our deepest sympathies and I'm sure there are gems lucking in the muck.

    The news you had started your own agency was splattered in every loop, group and newsletter I read for almost two weeks. I now wish I waited a few months, for you to get through the initial deluge, prior to sending my query.

    Good Luck and Happy Reading!

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  3. I went looking for you at your old home, and discovered you'd moved out and were on your own. How exciting for you!

    I'm (slightly) dismayed that your slush pile is full and growing, but not deterred. I figure two things tend to float to the top in these piles, and I'm hoping my manuscript will be cream.

    Years after my first contact with you (which I don't expect you'd remember), you are still my first choice to represent my work.

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  4. I'd be interested to know how many people end up not reading "and please don't" in your parenthetical aside.

    I expect it will be a lot.

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  5. I will be patient. Patience is a virtue, but I will add that my writing is VERY funny and successful. Best, juliegillen1@hotmail.com

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  6. Best wishes as you try to catch up. It's a crazy life, no?

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  7. Thanks for writing this blog. You seem approachable and entirely human and not some mysterious/mean/intimidating person.
    The thought occurred to me about two years ago that agents need writers just as much as writers need agents. It's a symbiotic relationship: one cannot exist, really, without the other.
    Thank you for doing the work that you do. Every time I troll a bookstore looking for new titles I am thankful that writers and agents and editors and publishing houses exist.
    I'm just feeling a bit paranoid that books might be going away. My husband asked me yesterday if I wanted a Kindle for my upcoming birthday and I looked at him as though he'd suggested I sautee kittens for dinner.
    Ohdeargod NO!

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  8. Kate: I just laughed out loud at your comment re: the Kindle. My husband asked last year if I wanted one. I had pretty much the same reaction. BUT. I gradually began to change my mind and, I can honestly say that I've bought more books since I first plugged in my Kindle one month ago, than I have in the past six months (non-research-related books, that it. :)

    The writers are still getting paid, though I'll admit that I don't know how the digital version compares to the printed version.

    I still love my books. I love the feel of them, the smell of them. I love going through the shelves in the bookstore. I'm not going to give up any of that, but I do also love that there are at least 60 books in my Kindle, which lives in my purse. If it's not a working day, my before-I-leave-the-house checklist is: keys, wallet, iPhone, Kindle.

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