Blogger: Wendy Lawton
I had a phone meeting yesterday with a client. She said, “I hate to bother you. You seem so busy.” Hmmmm. A few weeks ago my brother called me up short on the same subject. He said I should stop talking on social media about how busy I am. “It makes you seem inaccessible to people,” he said.
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about those comments. Should I be crafting a more accessible persona on social media? Should I keep from sharing those frenetic days that are part of this business? Are my clients seeing me as too busy for them?
Here’s where I landed. I’m already uncomfortable with carefully crafted online personas. I don’t want to be a Facebook fiction creator. True, I’ll never be an over-sharer but I think we need to be honest in all we say. So if I have a crazy-busy day I’m going to say I had a crazy-busy day. Or say nothing.
But, am I too busy for people? Never! Much of my busyness is talking to editors, publishers and clients– people. To me people are a high priority. As I told my client, never hesitate to call or email. I’m never too busy for my clients. If I have scheduled meetings or am out of the office, we’ll set up a time to talk.
I’ll take it a step further. If your agent isn’t busy, you have the wrong agent. The nature of our business is to be engaged. We should be talking to our colleagues, keeping up with the industry, touching base with editors, publicists and publishers. We can’t do a good job for you unless we are out there on your behalf. Juggling projects, checking on submissions, preparing proposals, doing contracts, advising clients– it’s all part of this crazy-wonderful job.
When you see that your agent is crazy-busy don’t assume that he’s too busy for you. He’s crazy-busy on your behalf and that’s a good thing. But chances are, an interruption from you will be a delightful break in his busy day.
Your turn. When you see us moan about the workload, do you see that as a healthy thing or an off-putting thing? Would you rather have an agent who posts lots of hammock photos or one who seems to be paddling as fast as he can? Why is busy good? How about you? Is your life any less crazy-busy?
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Not crazy-busy . . . purposely busy, busy making progress toward a goal, and that’s good. There are times when I am busy doing things without worthy purpose–chasing down a meaningless data point to fill a blank in a corporate report or complying with pointless regulations. Purposely busy energizes, purposeless busy deflates.
And trying to sift that busyness down to a few brief sentences for social media, to give an honest picture without revealing too much is a challenge–one you handle well, Wendy. A social media presence can easily drift in the direction of purposeless busy.
Thanks, Shirlee.
Wendy, I am so impressed with B&S. I know you don’t handle my WIP, but your willingness to pass down knowledge and encouragement keeps me coming back every day.
We are all so busy … sometimes I feel like I never do anything good because I go in all directions … especially in my head!
But I appreciate a person who is real. I appreciate honesty. Keep being real.
Do you still make dolls? I was blessed to stumble across one of your older posts from 2009 … 🙂
I agree with you, Shelli. This blog is so worthy of repeat visits. Much of what I learned here (and continue to learn) has built the foundation for the writing season I’m in.
Amen, Shelli and Jenni! This blog and these women (as well as the writing community here) are tremendous blessings. 🙂
Thanks so much, Jenni and Shelli.
Speaking of busy, Shelli– no I don’t find myself with much time to either write or sculpt these days.
Wendy, I’ve thought about this a lot. I’ve finally decided that a good agent is much like a baseball umpire–if they’re doing their job right, you don’t think about them or even notice their presence most of the time. But they keep things going, answer questions (rarely with an argument involved, but sometimes even then), and without them things wouldn’t be the same.
Excellent analogy, Dr. Mabry.
I have to say, I’ve never equated my job with umpire but I like it.
A healthy workload is to be lauded, but if it exceeds one’s capabilities to the point of incurring complaint, the situation is out of balance.
The difficulty is that one does not really ‘know’ a person only through Facebook. I do not know if your emphasis on busy-ness is a cheerful way of expressing satisfaction with life, of a valid complaint.
Being ‘busy and happy’ is fine, but being busy to the point of complaint goes directly against Scripture, and effectively plows under the Lilies of the Field.
I think you hit upon the crux of the matter. I love this: “Being ‘busy and happy’ is fine, but being busy to the point of complaint goes directly against Scripture, and effectively plows under the Lilies of the Field..”
I loved your phrase: Facebook fiction creator. I don’t tend to post a lot on Facebook because I don’t want to be a fiction creator, and it seems like most of my days dwell in the region of mundane. 🙂
But, in answer to your questions, I don’t see any of you ladies as off-putting. Your busy-ness is productive.
The fact that you care about your clients comes through in the posts shared here on B and S. 🙂 I would much rather have an agent who is busy than one who’s posting hammock photos. 🙂 You work hard for your clients and in creating/maintaining relationships in the publishing world. This is good. I notice you also take time out for yourselves to spend with family, which is also good. 🙂
My life definitely has crazy-busy days. With my kids home for summer, it’s been BUSY. I would rather be busy than bored. Any day. I’ve worked to find the balance between my to-do’s and spending time with my kids while they’re home. It’s a balancing act, isn’t it?
I enjoyed this post, Wendy.
I remember those summer days with kids. That’s a different kind of busy. It’s the best of times and the worst of times. Someday you’ll look back and wish you could recapture those days but that’s only because you forget the “I’m bored” complaints.
He-he. So true, Wendy. And the bickering. 🙂 But I’ll never forget the hugs just because.
I just enjoy getting a glimpse of the process an agent goes through working with clients and editors. It isn’t off-putting, it is interesting. And as long as my agent had time to give me here and there, I’m all set. Busy is good, crazy is not. If they had a little time for each client and some for themselves, then I’d say that is not too busy.
Yep. That’s the measuring stick. Are we taking care of our clients.
I sent Saint Mary of Chicago an email a few weeks back and got the “I’m out of the office and will return on…” reply.
My thoughts were, “GOOD!! She’s taking a break with her family!!”
I do not know HOW hard she works, but I know she works HARD.
If she was on Facebook posting pics of her pedi. Again. I’d be all “Niiiice.” But actually, I don’t think it would happen. Maybe that’s just me, but umm…it’s more like something *I* would do. Given my love of all things ME ME ME ME.
Even if it is entirely awesome and fulfilling and wonderful, sometimes work is hard. And it IS okay to blow a breath at your bangs and let out a sigh. And take a break. If that break includes posting a vacation photo? Sure, why not?
Because if my dentist posted a vacation shot? I’d be all “Ohh, the kids are growing so much!” I would NOT be whining that my teeth need his attention.
And in case anyone is curious, I do floss regularly. 😉
“Blow a breath at your bangs” … oh, I love that! I need to use that. Can I use that?! 🙂
May I use that?!! Ha! 🙂
Sure!
You can, and you may. 😉
Are you describing me with the ‘blow at the bangs’ comment? Because you could be, ya know. And the sigh heard from California.
The point is, you’re a great listener, and I appreciate you immensely. 🙂
Thank you.
Was that you sighing? I thought I heard something. 😉
You know, I’ve never once seen a male do that ‘blow a breath at the bangs’ thing. Hmmm. Is it a girl thing?
Yes, that blowing the bangs picture? Got it. Lived it. Living it. 🙂
Yes, you are! But you’d have such regal, elegance doing it.
Mary and I were still working on a problem together at what would have been 7 or 8 her time. She definitely does not keep office hours.
wow! And of course, there’s also the 3 hour time difference.
I’ve never been a huge fan of office hours myself. 😉
Why oh why don’t you write comedy, J? Oh, because your fiction is so well done.
Wendy, I’m happy to have a busy agent. A quiet one would give me cause for concern.
Wendy, I don’t experience you as inaccessible at all and I’m not even your client. Busy and inaccessible are two different things. When you wrote, “If you’re agent isn’t busy, you have the wrong agent,” I thought, “Exactly!” Of course you’re busy, but you are always friendly, polite and gracious online (and, I’m sure, in person). As I’ve said before on this blog, all of you are not only generous in your sharing of a wealth of information, all of you make time to reply to those who comment on the blog. When you (or the other agents) are traveling or in back-to-back meetings, each of you mention that in the post to let the blog community know you’re not ignoring us. It’s just that you won’t have time that day to respond. Similarly, on days when you only respond to some people, I assume that you are “crazy busy” that day (it’s not always possible to know that ahead of time).
When I see any of you “moan” about the workload or the busyness of the day, I pray for you. I’m also like you better because you are willing to admit that you are human. 🙂
Am I ever crazy busy? Of course. The important thing, as you pointed out, is to be willing to set aside my agenda to be present to the person in front of me or on the phone.
Blessings of peace in the midst of the busyness.
Love this, Christine. People just need to be approachable. I try to remember this, as a mom … no matter how busy I am, just be approachable.
Thanks, Shelli. I’m sure you’re very approachable and a great mom.
Blessings, Christine
Christine, thanks for the reminder to ‘set aside the agenda to be present’.
Btw, Wendy is friendly, polite and gracious in person. I hope you have the joy of meeting her someday.
Thank you, Jenni.
I’m sure Wendy is the delightful person she seems online and I very much hope I get to meet her–and you too–at some point.
Blessings! 🙂
I loved your comment, Christine. And this: “Am I ever crazy busy? Of course. The important thing, as you pointed out, is to be willing to set aside my agenda to be present to the person in front of me or on the phone.” Describes my life right now. 🙂 Trying to be present and “in” each moment, especially when people are near. 🙂
Thank you, Jeanne. Being “in the moment” isn’t always easy, but I’m sure you bring a caring presence to all those you encounter. 🙂
Christine, I love that you pray for us. Best gift of all.
🙂
Yes! Approachability. It’s what I admire in writers as well.
Wendy, it’s a tough balance. I like to see agents as comfortably busy and productive, but not overwhelmed busy. I think tone makes a difference. Writers can sense the way in which an agent talks about business–as if being busy is a nuisance, or as if being busy leads to good things and production.
Productive is the key, right? No shuffling papers. (Says the one who needs to do contracts this afternoon.)
Wendy, I love your insights here. You are such a hard worker, so dedicated, and it’s clear that your hard work is inspired by your heart for the people you work with on all sides. You always make time for them. Thank you for the wonderful example you are!
I’m not surprised that Amanda said this so eloquently. 🙂
I concur.
*Blush* Nothing compared to my hard working clients– especially the ones who are also marketing geniuses.
Good post, Wendy! I would expect a good agent to be busy. I’m crazy-busy, but I think (hope?) when my son gets out of the toddler/preschool years, the “crazy” will fade off and I’ll be sanely busy instead. Lol 🙂
Those are tough years for busyness but I almost think the carpool/ lessons/ after school activity years are the most frenetic. Save up for a nanny.
I like being busy and being busy is good however I don’t like being swamped. I am OK occasionally. When I am swamped regularly, I want to pull my hair out and scream then I am good to no one including myself. I can make errors when I am swamped and that’s not good for the engineers I write for where accuracy is very important.
And of course you volunteer a lot on top of that. It makes for a full life but a busy one.
Although I would prefer to only contact my agent with news of great progress, it’s comforting to know that I have permission to be honest and ask for prayer.
Wendy, we appreciate you!
Jenni, wouldn’t it be wonderful to only ever have “news of great progress”? It’s great, though, that you have the humility to be honest. And asking for prayer is always a help. Know that you are in my prayers.
Christine, thank you for praying.
Same here. while I wish I could always call clients with news of contracts and bestseller lists, sometimes we just gotta talk.
Wendy, thanks for this post today. We are all busy and I so appreciate that you recognize that. I can’t imagine the juggling you must do to keep everything balanced.
As a mom of four I have learned that often life is about seasons. Some weeks are intense in family obligations, some in writing obligations. It is all part of this amazing roller coaster we call life.
You’re right, Michelle. We live in seasons, especially as moms, I think. Mothering, writing, living each day out well on this roller coaster. 🙂
Isn’t that the truth. I think most of our clients are actually far busier than their agents.
Thanks, I needed that. Too often I feel guilty if I touch base with my agent, so this was helpful.
Blessings,
Susan G Mathis
Never feel guilty. If you begin to feel a little stalker-ish your agent will say something. 😉
I’ve been listening to the recording of your workshops at the Mount Hermon conference and have learned a lot about your job. I had no idea how much you had to do besides reading manuscripts and contracts and sending them to publishers. No wonder you’re busy!
So much of the job is things you’d never expect.
Like Christian counseling and handholding for authors. She has her PhD! 🙂
Wendy,
Who isn’t busy today?
I love the cartoon you posted. That is my life and I am told the same thing you were, “Sorry to bother you, you always seem so busy.”
Which in all honesty is often followed up with, “I just don’t know how you do it all.” Which I take as a compliment. Hopefully, it is intended that way.
I reply with a quote from a sweet little movie, “I am blessed with work.”
(Return to Me)
Deadlines loom, daily word counts call, and life changes daily.
Best of all ~ God is in control.
And I like your Facebook posts all the time because I enjoy them. I make time to read what is important to me. Maybe because your brother has known you for a lifetime, your tea, garden, and book posts are already sibling insights.
I post a lot about our two dogs. They get more responses than I do but that’s okay, I enjoy those comments.
We all have our Martha and Mary moments, at least I do.
And there are always people like Jenni Brumette that take the time to brighten a day with her thoughtful Pinterest encouragement posts! Love those little surprises that are sincere, personal, and a bit of joy in a busy day.
Dear Kathy, you bless me. Trying to be authentic and unique is difficult sometimes. I hope my personal pins make people smile, because those who receive them are precious to me.
You, sweet friend, are a cheerleader, and a prayer warrior. It’s obvious that you are a woman after the Lord’s heart, and it enriches those around you.
Yep. I agree. I don’t know how you do it all.
Coming from you, Wendy, that is gratefully received!
I once prided myself on how busy I was, how much I had to juggle, and how good I was at multi-tasking.
It was an illusion. A large part of the workload was simply stuff that I added myself, to give me a sense of “worth-through-work”.
And to avoid things I didn’t want to face, like (of course) relationships.
I hope I’ll never again be too busy to stop for a sunrise, watch for falling stars, play with a puppy, hold a hand, or brush away another’s tear.
People are different, and they focus on different things in their communication. I wouldn’t be concerned about an agent talking of the high workload, nor would I worry about the one in the hammock. As long as the professional responsibilities are met, the outward appearance doesn’t matter.
Or perhaps it does…the commander of the British Expeditionary Force in France in 1940 was a general named Harold Alexander. He might have been expected to be something approaching hysterical as disaster loomed, and the Germans encircled the remnant of the British Army at Dunkirk.
Not at all. He was the last Englishman to embark in the evacuation, and as he waited…he built sandcastles on the beach. He set an example of calm imperturbability that lent courage to the men under his command, and was instrumental in the good order and discipline that allowed over 300,000 men to be lifted from that blasted strand, to form the nucleus of an army that would sweep Nazism from the face of the earth within five years.
Wise, wise, words, Andrew. I think I’m going to copy those into a file of wise clippings I have.
I love the story of that commander– calm imperturbability. Yes!
Thank you so much, Wendy – your words lifted my heart today.
Andrew, beautifully and truthfully said. I love the historical examples that you apply. So reminds me of my history teacher father. That was how he taught his seven daughters that never sat on his classroom. And those are the lessons that remain in my heart to this day ~ Courage under fire, and personal responsibility.
Everyday, my old girl Missy nudges me away from my work for alone time. We go outside to play in the shade, I pet her and kiss her. She tells me she loves me and nuzzles in close for a hug. Every second is precious, every word spoken with her soulful eyes reminds me my job can never hold my heart.
I read scripture out loud to my two dogs. It seems they pay attention to the sound of my voice but in the busyness of a day, a peace settles.
Jesus never seemed to be busy. I keep going back to that for guidance.
Kathy, thank you.
Something of which I try to remind myself every day is that the reflection of gold is nothing when compared with the reflection of love in the eyes of an old dog.
I learned this lesson in the bitterest way possible, and it will haunt me to my death.
I like “hammock photo’s” of dogs sleeping.
You are always there when I need you. What more can a writer want?
I bet the list is long. 🙂