• Menu
  • Skip to left header navigation
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Books & Such Literary Management

A full-service literary agency that focuses on books for the Christian market.

  • Home
  • About Us
    • About Books & Such
    • Our Agents
    • Our Behind-the-Scenes Staff
    • Our Travel Schedule
  • Our Authors
    • Author News
    • Collaborators and Ghostwriters
  • Submissions
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Editors Select
  • Home
  • About Us
    • About Books & Such
    • Our Agents
    • Our Behind-the-Scenes Staff
    • Our Travel Schedule
  • Our Authors
    • Author News
    • Collaborators and Ghostwriters
  • Submissions
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Editors Select

Anatomy of an Agent—Heart

June 17, 2011 //  by Wendy Lawton//  8 Comments

Blogger: Wendy Lawton

Location: From beautiful Lansing, Michigan

We’ve spent a whole week on our anatomy lesson but I’ve saved the best for last. Jokes abound about the heartlessness of agents but the truth is that when all is said and done John Q. Agent will not be judged on how well he handled the paperwork, how many books he sold or even how much money he managed to make for his clients. On that day, the Lord will want to know one thing, “Did you love my people?”

The philosophy is best summed up in 1st Corinthians 13 (The Message):

1 If I pitch projects with enthusiasm and eloquence but don’t love, I’m nothing but blah, blah, blah. (Okay, that’s my paraphrase) 2If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing. 3-7If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

Here’s the philosophy in a nutshell:

  • Love never gives up.
  • Love cares more for others than for self.
  • Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
  • Love doesn’t strut,
  • Doesn’t have a swelled head,
  • Doesn’t force itself on others,
  • Isn’t always “me first,”
  • Doesn’t fly off the handle,
  • Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
  • Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
  • Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
  • Puts up with anything,
  • Trusts God always,
  • Always looks for the best,
  • Never looks back,
  • But keeps going to the end.

What it comes down to is this: In the eternal scope of things it doesn’t matter how talented John Q. Agent is when it comes to negotiating contracts or  protecting his clients’ rights (although those things are important). We are called to be servants. No strutting. No swelled heads. We can’t celebrate when we bring someone to his knees during negotiations.  It isn’t always “me first.” Prima donnas need not apply. This philosophy will be our John Q’s secret weapon.

How about you as a writer? How important is the heart element in your writing and your dealings with those in the industry?

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email

Category: Agents, BlogTag: Agent Career, literary agent, Prerequisites for an Agent

Previous Post: « Anatomy of an Agent—Hands
Next Post: A Favorite Book and How It Led Me to Books & Such »

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Lee Abbott

    June 17, 2011 at 7:12 am

    HEAD that’s right-sized and balanced
    EYES focused on the future
    MOUTH that speaks well of others
    NOSE not stuck up, not looking for trouble
    HANDS that don’t keep count of wrongs
    HEART that loves God and people

    Good advice, Wendy, for everybody. Thanks for the reminder that without love my writing is worthless.

    Reply
  2. Cheryl Malandrinos

    June 17, 2011 at 8:41 am

    Fabulous way to end your week of wonderful posts, Wendy.

    In every aspect, the heart is the most important. Stories can inspire and touch hearts. This industry can be difficult and frustrating, but it is those you meet with a servant’s heart that make all the difference.

    Thanks for a week of great posts.

    Reply
  3. Cynthia Herron

    June 17, 2011 at 10:10 am

    And this is why Christ gave His life for us. It all comes back to love. Thank you, Wendy, for your words of inspiration this week.

    Reply
  4. Amariah

    June 17, 2011 at 11:03 am

    I HAVE to depend on the Jesus in my Heart as a writer because there is no ME to depend on.

    No BOOK writing experience.
    No fancy skills.
    No REAL love.
    Nothing.

    But… I heard God CAN and WILL use the foolish things of this world.

    Reply
  5. Bill Giovannetti

    June 17, 2011 at 12:12 pm

    An agent = a pastor for authors, a pastor for pastors.
    Thanks.

    Reply
  6. Michael K. Reynolds

    June 17, 2011 at 2:28 pm

    Wendy,

    John Q Public is merely the nom de plume for the entire team at the Books & Such Literary Agency. What a wonderful series this week. It’s just another reminder of how blessed I am to be part of the family.

    Reply
  7. Melissa Ewell Miller

    June 21, 2011 at 3:03 pm

    Appealing to John Q.’ forgiving heart…

    If an author sent a a query then after reading this blog, realizes all the mistakes they made, would John Q have the heart to reconsider a do-over?

    If so how should that be handled???

    Reply
  8. Wendy Lawton

    June 21, 2011 at 5:23 pm

    Melissa, the nice thing about querying Books & Such is that we are always open to do-overs. Every query gets read even though we don’t respond unless we want to see more.

    And I see many so many queries that it’s highly unlikely I’d remember a person’s previous query. So everyone gets a clean slate! (Besides if I did remember, I’d probably just be impressed by the improvement.)

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to the Blog

Privacy Policy

Awards

Top 50 Writing Blogs









Site Footer

Connect with Us

  • Books & Such
  • Janet Grant
  • Cynthia Ruchti
  • Rachel Kent
  • Wendy Lawton
  • Barb Roose
  • Debbie Alsdorf
  • Janet Grant
  • Cynthia Ruchti
  • Rachel Kent
  • Barb Roose
  • Debbie Alsdorf
  • Cynthia Ruchti
  • Wendy Lawton
  • Barb Roose
  • Debbie Alsdorf
  • Debbie Alsdorf

Copyright © 2023 Books & Such Literary Management • All Rights Reserved • Privacy Policy • Site by Design by Insight