Off The Bat

Ever thought about the birth of an agents agency. We've all read blogs from seasoned agents and gained plenty of insight into the business. But how did they start? What happens when someone is just starting out as an agent. What are they looking for and how do they learn?

Here's your chance to follow the blog of a UK agent from the get go.

Slush Pile Mountaineering is the blog of new UK agent Kate Nash. The agency began at the start 0f 2009 so a quick read through will allow you to see everything she's currently posted concerning the start of her business and what she's planning to do. She is also on the look out for clients so maybe it could be an opportunity for the right writer.

If nothing else, it should make for interesting reading.

Another interesting thing doing the rounds: Cate, Aaron, Nat & Jamie have posted a January review. After reading through how industrious they have been, I feel somewhat ashamed.

My January has been a great deal more lax.

I have written two new short stories. They will be revised and polished during February. The target markets open in March & April. (A goal for 2009 was to write at least three new short stories, so having nearly achieved that already, I don't think I'll push things for February in this department. I'd still like to come up with something for the AHWA contest and for PARSEC, but I'm not holding my breath. There are one or two other comps a touch later in the year as well so writing three new shorts for 2009 may have been a little understating of reality.)

I have not written anything new in Newland - smack my wrist! This is the really disappointing bit. I will try to rectify this in February. With course work and polishing the two new shorts - I'm not sure how yet.

I wrote one new flash piece for Cafe Doom's challenge. Unless there is a sudden influx in voting, I'll not win this week either :c( Maybe I should just start voting for my own work if I think it's better than whatever else is posted, but it just doesn't feel like the right thing to do.

I gained 0 acceptances and 2 rejections. I retired 3 stories from the submission process (Considering just throwing these up on the website as bad early examples of my work). I sent back out three stories for a total of six now floating in the market place. Kind of pales when compared with anybody else.

I read two full length novels and written reviews for both. I read Eclecticism #7 (congratulations David Such - an excellent story published in this issue), and read 6 out of 8 assignments in module 1 for my advanced diploma. I have read countless blogs, stories, and articles online. I even managed to get around to reading AntipodeanSF this month.

And...that's all. My writing efforts would be lucky to total over 15,000 words. And yet I feel like I've learned a lot, and moved forward in my understanding of what makes a good story.

February has started on a better note with writing efforts. Last night I commenced assignment one. First task was to write an introduction to my new lecturer, focusing on how my writing has developed, and if I wanted to specifically write for the film and TV (this module is based on writing scripts for film and TV). It wasn't allowed to be longer than a standard page of 12pnt font in double spaced paragraphs. So around 300 words. Not easy to get all that in. I wrote a couple of versions and will revisit tonight. Then I need to write a short two page script - that will be an interesting exercise. This all needs to be completed and submitted by the end of next week so I'm a little ahead of the game.

Module 2 is all about writing a novel. I am seriously looking forward to diving into this one. Hopefully I'll have read that course book by the end of this week in preparation for doing the first assignment next week.

Not sure when I'll get an opportunity to work on Newland at this point, but it will happen - maybe during a quiet time at work... ;c)

Enough from me.

Good luck with whatever you hope to achieve over this incredibly short month. And if you don't happen to get everything done, don't beat yourself up over it. Time is a relative concept...