tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499544192040102367.post4698240158838795700..comments2023-03-31T03:32:46.597-07:00Comments on Rate Your Story: How I Landed My Agent - The Meta-StoryJennifer Swansonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407155763105274979noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499544192040102367.post-3767399341648587962014-05-17T08:34:48.353-07:002014-05-17T08:34:48.353-07:00KIND words. Kind words. Ack. KIND words. Kind words. Ack. Ella Kennenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07704782746072825230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499544192040102367.post-20307452725796985272014-05-17T08:33:35.979-07:002014-05-17T08:33:35.979-07:00Ooh, love that song and that sentiment. Thank you,...Ooh, love that song and that sentiment. Thank you, Wendy, for reminding me!Ella Kennenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07704782746072825230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499544192040102367.post-69326862978346062212014-05-16T19:47:53.507-07:002014-05-16T19:47:53.507-07:00As I read your post Ella, I heard Natasha Beddingf...As I read your post Ella, I heard Natasha Beddingfield singing "Unwritten." You and Natasha, both wise!Wendyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14114624813405241762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499544192040102367.post-22551984608437530912014-05-16T08:22:39.222-07:002014-05-16T08:22:39.222-07:00Thank you, everyone for all your calm words. And S...Thank you, everyone for all your calm words. And Sheri, it's definitely not just you -- almost all writers wrestle with self-doubt, frustration, and more. It's not the absence or presence of those negative factors that determines success or failure, but how a person reacts to those feelings..Ella Kennenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07704782746072825230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499544192040102367.post-65243420302697740952014-05-15T17:36:16.935-07:002014-05-15T17:36:16.935-07:00Wonderful post! You really nailed it!Wonderful post! You really nailed it!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499544192040102367.post-91524031489338847862014-05-15T10:07:33.069-07:002014-05-15T10:07:33.069-07:00Awesome post! Passion, perseverance and patience i...Awesome post! Passion, perseverance and patience intertwined with self doubt and the occasional meltdown (for me anyway). Thanks - it is encouraging.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09401648455729385133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499544192040102367.post-16125115673568164382014-05-15T05:42:31.848-07:002014-05-15T05:42:31.848-07:00Good one, Ella, as was your prior diversity post. ...Good one, Ella, as was your prior diversity post. Hence, therefore, and because of that (not that I would ever be redundant), just joined your email list.Charleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11539693892080322146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499544192040102367.post-6276998314495293072014-05-15T04:50:08.129-07:002014-05-15T04:50:08.129-07:00Thank you, Ella...you've put into words exactl...Thank you, Ella...you've put into words exactly what many of us feel when we hear these 'how I got my agent' stories. Delving deeper, one usually finds that the writer submitted DOZENS and DOZENS of times before 'lady luck' struck. It's kind of like when an actor or actress has mega success...if you look into their past, you'll almost always find MANY years of studying their craft, small, seemingly insignificant roles and huge sacrifices. Passion, perseverance and patience WILL pay off, no matter what your dream. :) :) Kudos to all who have achieved theirs!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499544192040102367.post-32002871902072278852014-05-14T23:29:26.486-07:002014-05-14T23:29:26.486-07:00Great post (and comments Ella). Great post (and comments Ella). Stacy S. Jensenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09646270238659432058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499544192040102367.post-13910904922899689672014-05-14T09:02:00.445-07:002014-05-14T09:02:00.445-07:00Thanks for this! The timing is perfect. :-)Thanks for this! The timing is perfect. :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499544192040102367.post-26436445838956487792014-05-14T07:13:56.948-07:002014-05-14T07:13:56.948-07:00Great post, Ella! A perfect blend of the reality o...Great post, Ella! A perfect blend of the reality of writing, as well as what a person can do to become better. I love "To be a writer, you must be sensitive enough to weave a world, and tough enough not to let this one beat you down." Lucky for me, I'm sensitive, and coming from theater, know a little about that running into the wall thing!Jennifer Kirkebyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15334449009178043995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499544192040102367.post-4279583411131048202014-05-14T07:03:58.159-07:002014-05-14T07:03:58.159-07:00Absolutely -- dedication, persistence, tenacity, a...Absolutely -- dedication, persistence, tenacity, and passion are much more accurate descriptors.<br /><br />A quick note about odds: ignore them; they are much too impersonal to apply to you (and by "you" I don't mean Julie; I mean any unagented/prepublished author). AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT, a writer may have close to a zero percent chance of being traditionally published or repped. (Harsh, but true. The key here is at *that* moment. The writer may choose to work to improve their personal odds.) Or they may have very good odds. Just because an agent or publisher picks up, say, 1 in 1,000 submissions, doesn't mean YOUR odds are 1 in a 1,000. They could be zero. They could be 1 in 15. They could be... 100%. ;)Ella Kennenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07704782746072825230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499544192040102367.post-46959325012565465492014-05-14T06:30:00.350-07:002014-05-14T06:30:00.350-07:00A little bit of crazy is always good. Who in their...A little bit of crazy is always good. Who in their right mind would go for it knowing the odds standing against their efforts? I do not write because I always wrote, but once you get the bug it is intoxicatingly fun and that is a huge component of why I am still at it!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499544192040102367.post-44365734257162449722014-05-14T06:14:43.749-07:002014-05-14T06:14:43.749-07:00Thanks for the great reminder, Ella. Persistence,...Thanks for the great reminder, Ella. Persistence, tenacity and obsession!Kirsti Callhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10481134344365131022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499544192040102367.post-75946743234685248842014-05-14T06:11:06.543-07:002014-05-14T06:11:06.543-07:00Ah, I love the total randomness of it all. Keeps m...Ah, I love the total randomness of it all. Keeps me on my toes. Great post, Ella! Renee LaTulippehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01312695417155507664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499544192040102367.post-90505341500744266312014-05-14T05:49:17.208-07:002014-05-14T05:49:17.208-07:00I see a recurring theme here: obsessive! ;) Obses...I see a recurring theme here: obsessive! ;) Obsessive people are dedicated people. And only dedicated people will make it (in the long run) in the publishing business. Teresa Robesonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03848939225552527941noreply@blogger.com