How I Got My Agent
A Happy Post
GREAT NEWS!
I am an AGENTED author! I signed with the absolutely incredible powerhouse agent, Caroline Rabin, at The Kaplan Stahler Literary Agency. I can’t wait for this adventure and see what we create together! She’s representing me for BOTH my books and my screenplays, which is a dream come true! Such a fantastic match since I love both mediums of writing equally.
And The Kaplan-Stahler agency, if you don’t know, is an excellent, reputable boutique agency in LA that has for decades repped TV writers & directors on numerous shows, and they’re building and investing in a book division focused on romance (and romance blended genres like drama, fantasy, thriller, etc.) in the YA and New Adult/Adult space.
I am beyond thrilled and I can’t wait to make a post announcing WHEN my book will be released into the world!
HOW IT HAPPENED
There’s a saying in this industry that connections are THE KEY. And they are right. Whether that is a connection that vouches for you for a new position, a connection that passes along your material to someone interested, or a connection where you build each other up and create something together that gets recognized -- how cool is that???!! I love stories where people come together to lift each other up. It’s just so heart-warming and what we should do for each other.
Connections to me have always been about genuine friendships and loving what the other person is doing and wanting to help them succeed because they are well…your friend! I don’t do fake. If I offer to read your piece and give notes, or love it and have someone in mind who could potentially make it and would love it too - I mean it! I’ll send it!
And that’s what happened with how I was introduced to my agent.
I met my friend (we’ll call him J) 7 years ago, and since then we have been reading each other’s scripts all throughout the years, passing along opportunities, rooting for each other when big breaks happened in our careers, commiserating when the industry took a turn (looking at you COVID), and offering encouragement to keep going.
This connection, this friend, ran into my now agent at a party, and when he heard what Caroline was looking for in a writer, immediately he thought of me and pitched me to her. And then, with her go ahead, connected us via email, where Caroline and I setup a Zoom, where we then talked for over an hour as we were really getting along. She then asked to read a couple projects of mine, which then turned into an email the next week asking to hop on a call to talk about what working together would look like :)
I was overjoyed to get her email, as I KNEW Caroline was a great creative fit for me on that first Meet & Greet call, with her communication style, her open transparency, the way she supported her clients and their writing… I was already in when I got that email asking to set-up a call. But I needed to know a few things first, what was her vision for the book? And what were her revisions? And where do we go from here?
THE CALL
I thought I would be prepared for THE CALL, having heard, read, researched, and talked to so many people about what their CALL was like. I was, and I wasn’t. It’s thrilling, it’s fun, it’s having some nerves as YOU ARE FINALLY HERE AT THE CALL! A much for hoped for day that is also very surreal and anxiety-producing at the same time. Because, after all, you’ve been writing, editing, submitting, and repeating this method for days, weeks, months, years. It can feel absolutely wild to be at the next stage in your career finally. A day you’ve envisioned and planned for and now have arrived at.
Cue the chorus!
It’s also a small interview on both sides, as it’s making sure it’s a solid creative fit as it’s a business partnership along with a creative partnership - and trust me, when you know you know! It feels RIGHT.
I had a second offer the same day from another agent on a separate THE CALL call, and although that agent was very nice, professional, and had read my manuscript, I didn’t feel like we were the best creative fit due to her vision for my book and the career path she saw for me.
But with Caroline it was a totally different story. I aligned with her vision of the book, and her revisions, asked her about this and that part and where I thought it was weak and she had identified those parts as well and so we could have a conversation about strengthening it. A good rep relationship centers on having an open line of communication that both sides feel comfortable coming to the other with. You do yourself absolutely ZERO favors withholding a question from your teammate!
And again, the big thing here is, it felt right. And it should as this is a person who is going to champion you and your writing. Someone you could have a long career with (hopefully!) and make career milestones together.
Honestly, in my opinion, the connection should feel like friendship.
WHERE WE GO FROM HERE
Now the real work begins as they say! I’ve been deep in revision mode with calls and texts brainstorming here and there with my agent, and we’re now on submission!
It is another dream come true to have editors reading my writing! From here it’ll be getting feedback (if any), possibly more tweaks (I don’t think anything is truly done until it is DONE), and then it’ll find its creative fit on the next level, and the next, until it becomes a book available on shelves :)
I’ll be sure to keep you all posted on how it goes! As information is another key to preparing ourselves and learning so that when that next step comes in the career, we are ready. I want you to be ready, as I was ready because of others who gave me their advice and wisdom and shared their experiences with me.
I’m rooting for you to find your creative match!
Until next time, I hope you are creating something you love.
-Kathryn
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CHAMPION KATHRYN! WOOOT WOOOOT 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Let’s go!!!!