The 2010 version is a reference book in the library, so I took home the 2009 and will double-check the agents against the 2010 later (to make sure Ms. Annie Agent wasn’t replaced with Mr. Matt Man, which might prove awkward).

For now, I’m just information gathering.

For example, half of the agencies want an outline, synopsis, sample chapters, and/or a bio with your query letter.  . . .  *boggle* . . .  I think I’ll start with the simple query-only agents first while I put together what the others need.

My bio will be a sad, soggy affair.  I did, however, mock something up for the site that I can adapt, and I found that FictionAddiction.net at least gives me a starting point.  I’ll want to look up other resources to see if they agree or disagree with the how-to, but I’m research girl so it shouldn’t be too hard.

Research and facts help me avoid the sheer terror of thinking about rejection.  >_>  I know it’s mostly “This isn’t something we can sell” and “This isn’t right for me, but it might be right for someone else” but some of these agents seem really nice.  And I’m desperate for a nice one, if I get one at all, so I think I’ll be sadder when the obviously nice ones reject me than the intimidating ones.

Like the one who says “Many of my clients have come to me from big agencies, where they felt overlooked or ignored.  I communicate freely with my clients and offer a lot of career advice, suggestions for revising manuscripts, etc.”

It’s the sentiment I like — that she’s willing to let you work in a comfortable, encouraging space.  I think a big agency could offer the same, if you got the right agent, and I’m willing to jump through the hoops that big agencies want, but in the end I just want someone I fit with professionally.

As for whether or not I’ll get an agent?  I feel that my work will speak for itself.  If it doesn’t get published this round, I’ll suck it up and keep trying to improve my query (and all its friends) until I hook somebody or run out of options.

No reason to think Frosty will never get published if it doesn’t now.  One woman warned me how it took her 10 years to publish her nonfiction book and how I shouldn’t get my hopes up and, oh right, that was a super-annoying cynical rant from a pessimist.  If Frosty doesn’t make it now, I’ll set it aside and work on other projects for a few years.  Disappointing, but it’s not the only publication aspiration I’ll ever have — I may be a head-in-the-clouds dreamer, but I’m also a pragmatic optimist.

*strike pose*  So look out, agents!  I’ll be sending you a really sparse author bio soon!  . . .  I mean . . . oh, poo.  You know what I mean.