On Writing: More about Agents
4October 2, 2014 by Laird
It has been said before and it has been demonstrated by plenty of writers–you can go it on your own. But depending on where you are in your career and what you hope to achieve, smart money says get an agent. You need a good one, you need the right one, but you need one. You also need to understand what it is an does. Not what you assume she does, but the reality.
Here’s mine talking about a few of her tasks.
lairdbarron.wordpress.com 
This is off topic but I must share the very complimentary comments Joshi made about your craft in his intro to the beautiful and magisterial “A Mountain Walked.” He references the “Laird Barron Mythos,” which he then describes as a “heady fusion of espionage, the superhero, and Pynchonesque paranoia.” Of all the neo-Lovecraftian authors discussed, you were the only one with his own “Mythos.” Heady compliments, indeed.
Thanks, Jonathan. I haven’t seen my copy, so I look forward to it. The photos are gorgeous.
Laird, would you say that usually agents don’t want to hear from writers until they have a novel ready?
Hi, Mike. There are exceptions–but that’s the convention. Write a novel, show it around.