Happy Agent's Day!

In a long conversation with my critique partners about what you need in an agent, my friend Jenn said something that will always stick with me: Your agent should make it easier and not harder for you to write. This was the advice that eventually helped me see that my first agent was not a good fit for me as a writer, and the advice that has me continually nodding my head in belated agreement now. I now understand what Jenn was talking about. I didn't know at that point that this kind of agent/client working relationship existed.

This is the woman who makes it easier for me every day to keep doing what I love. And since today is #AgentsDay, I want to let her and any prospective clients, as well as other writers know what I love about working with Patricia Nelson!

I signed with Patricia on Christmas Eve 2014, a fabulous Christmas gift to myself. A gift that has kept right on giving. :)

(I signed on a copy of Harry Potter for good luck)

In the months that followed we've been through several rounds of revisions together, gone out on submission, worked on different books, discussed pitches for new novels, and we've gotten to know each other much better. 

So here for Agents' Day are ten reasons that Patricia Nelson helps make it easier and not harder to write. Ten reasons why I'm so grateful that we found each other.

1. She gives herself deadlines, and keeps them! (I know this is not something all agents are able to do, but I am continually amazed by Patricia's consistency and reliability. It inspires so much confidence and lets me work on my own timelines, without worrying about the agent end.

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2. She likes my ideas. This isn't something you can force, and it wouldn't mean she was a bad agent if she didn't. But it is amazing to have someone you can share ideas / brainstorm with who gets excited about the same things as you.



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3. She's always up for a quick phone call, and I always feel miles better after a chat with Patricia.



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4. She gets my stuff READ!!! Her network is awesome, and she gets my books out there.


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5. All the brilliant ideas! Brainstorming with Patricia is magic!


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6. She gets all the emotion, and she's a cheerleader even when I'm doing the crazy author thing.


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7. She's practically a superhero, fighting for her clients' work! All her clients. All the time. Patricia doesn't take on work she doesn't believe in, and when she does take it on, she is ready to go the distance for that book / that author. She's the one you want fighting for you!


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8. She's the best matchmaker. It's like a CP fairy godmother. I'm constantly meeting amazing new CPs and friends thanks to her amazing taste in clients. Belonging to #TheRevisionists is such a privilege, and I'm grateful to call her clients my friends.


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9. She's a fountain of cautious optimism. I always have an easier time believing when I talk to Patricia! She believes in me and my writing.


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10. She loves books with boundless passion. AND she cares about my characters like they're real people. The other day I was concerned about a character, and she said, "Heather, we both know Julie. There's no way she's letting that happen." Bless you, you book lover, you! I love loving books right along with you.


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Patricia, happy happy #AgentsDay! You are truly a gift! All your clients agree, you're the best!

Sometimes You Must Get Your Audrey Hepburn On

And you must do it in a live webinar with your BFF who is concurrently dressed as The Mad Hatter.

You must do this if your friend drags you along kicking and screaming and secretly you don't mind that much because just like exercise, once you get started, it's REALLY fun.

Nikki Trionfo and I have been dear friends, critique partners, and mutual writers' therapists since we did our first NaNoWriMo together when our now 11-year-old daughters were in strollers. Three years ago she won the grand prize in the first chapter contest for the LDStorymakers conference. Two years ago, I won, and now she makes me spend my Thursday nights in January helping other people get their first chapters up to snuff for this contest, or for any other first chapterly purpose.

This January is our second annual series, and we started off tonight in another three-part webinar series.

Session 5: Humor Hooks Readers aired tonight, but the past installments can be watched at the links below:

Session 1: Make Yours Stand Out
Session 2: 
Session 3:
Session 4: (With Charlie Holmberg and Nikki Trionfo.)

Anyway, why am I sharing this with you all? I'm a glutton for punishment, and ready for public humiliation. Also, hopefully some of the information we presented is helpful.

If not... it was free.