What not to do when looking for an agent

Now Playing: Past the Mission - Tori Amos

So I learned a valuable lesson this week. (Well, two, but I'll save the other for a different post.) Apparently, if you're going to query an agent, make sure you have the book completed first.

Yes, I know it sounds pretty bloody obvious when you read it, but I never really thought of it as a hard and fast rule. I submitted a synopsis to the Nelson Literary Agency last year and in September they asked for the first three chapters. But Real Life (TM) intervened in the form of a new job and a new house, and I only got round to polishing up the chapters last month. I always kind of intended to start writing the full book in September, but as I said, real life has a habit of taking the best laid plans and throwing them out the window while laughing mockingly at you.

Last week, Agent Kristin emailed me saying she loved the first three chapters and could she please have the whole book pretty please.

Oops.

I wrote back apologizing for my appalling lack of knowledge of the field I want to make a living in and she was very nice, telling me to send it in when it's ready with a covering letter explaining my naughtiness.

So. Take a lesson folks. If you're querying an agent, make sure you have the book finished. It doesn't matter if you think the agent probably won't even ask for the full manuscript. Just have it finished.

TV stuff

So we got the first of eight sitcom episodes done last week. Phew. We've done sitcoms before, but there's been a big gap in between where we worked on a drama series and of course the daily soap opera, so it was hell to get back into the mindset needed for a 22 minute joke-a-thon.

Having said that I only sent the file off last night so it could well be shite and we will be receiving a very angry email soon. Probably not, but it's the same thought every time I send something off. WHy should sitcoms be any different?

Other stuff: I sent the first three sample chapters off to the Nelson Literary Agency. I was supposed to do it last year, (that's when I queried and they said they'd like to read the sample) but with moving house and then Christmas I just didn't have the time.

Caroline and I also sent some work off to a British television agent. We're hopeful, but a bit worried the whole living-in-South-Africa thing might be a small problem.