What makes an agent's reputation?

The reputation of an agent is less about them and more about the quality of the clients they represent, and I have a great group of clients.

I turn down new clients even if they have a wonderful project if I can't see a solid place to go with it, and I don't send out existing clients without some sort of a good lead-in that will lift it out of the stack on the desk. I need the reputation of them knowing I send stuff that is well researched and I believe I am getting it. I know this causes some clients to not go out as much as they would like, but when they do it is because I have doccumented a solid shot, and while that is no guarantee of success, I like to think every single submission I send out is in play.

I send out a weekly update to them so they are aware what one another are doing. If I make a contact on their behalf that communication is direct, of course. Brenda Nixon just wrote: "Today, I was called and interviewed for an article in Parents Magazine. The piece will run this winter, possibly January or February. My website will be listed, which gives The Birth to Five Book massive publicity. It'd be super if Revell could piggy-back on the publicity by buying an ad in the Parents issue where I'm quoted or garner a book review. On another note, A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts, of which I'm co-author, releases September 30. The publisher said it has pre-sold 3,000 copies." Her book "Birth to Five" is coming out soon.

Trish Porter writes: "Thanks for your prayers. I did a tv show called good morning New Mexico, a thirty minute family life radio show plus two extra spots, and a radio show in Washington." (Trish is on deadline for her book "Rekindle Your Dreams) Donn Taylor is finishing up his second book and Graham Garrison just signed a contract with Kregel.

Max Anderson: "I'm in the very, VERY early stages of talking with a 3rd film production company. They are in startup now, with a capitalization of 600 million dollars. This company is also a distributor of films, plus the digital equipment to project it. In the near future, most films will probably be distributed by satellite, and then projected digitally. These are Christian people, but it is much too early to say what's going to happen."

Kevin Collier reports his new TV show is in production and is expected to reach anywhere from 350,000 to 700,000 viewers worldwide. "Jarod and I will appear on "KICKS Club" as frequent guests before and even after our own show, "Drawing for Kicks" is running. So, that means even more potential viewers. They will be promoting my books I am drawing for them there, and books Kristen and I have authored for other publishers."

Celeste Matthews has re-written her "Some of my friends are people" as a fiction entitled "Jessica Taylor Country Vet" and I really like what she has done We'll be going back out with it in the new cnfiguration as I find some applicable markets.

Tim Shoemaker said he got some terrific help from bestsellers Donita Paul and Bryan Davis and used it to make changes in his manuscript "Midnight Shadows." He sent it and a new suggested proposal incorporating some enhancements to his platform along with some requests from editors he has scored at recent conferences he has been working. These will be going out immediately.

We still have several authors getting full reads, a terrific sign, and still others who have advanced beyond that to committee level. People, that's a lot of action for a small group of 50 writers. I know it is encouraging for those it is happening for, but it should also be encouraging where it isn't happening yet. This much activity and 24 completed deals is raising our visibility and getting projects looked at very seriously.

Did I mention I'm proud of these folks?