Also, while I agree with the assertion that agents, like writers to an extent, are merely a cog in the wheel of the greater machine, I believe that by the very purpose they serve, agents have the advantage of be a very influential "cog", so to speak. In reality, the agent has the ear of the writer and the publisher and as such, should certainly use that vantage point as a means for change in the industry where change is needed.

Easier said than done, I know.

I wrote short stories for years and submitted them faithfully. I also worked as the publisher and editor for a Christian publishing house, and then worked for five years as the editor of a national magazine. During my time as an editor I wrote more magazine articles than I can count.

But in the end, what ultimately sold my books were the books themselves. Yes, my writing improved with each thing I wrote, but I honestly believe that my writing would have improved by simply writing more books. The story arc in a book is unique, in my opinion, and something that can only be learned from writing a book.

I really wish that someone during that long period would have told me to just write what I love.

Thanks for alerting us to some of the messages we might not want to hear…being prepared helps diffuse a negative response and kindness can prevail!

Many moons (years, actually) ago, I didn't want to make changes in a manuscript I had submitted to a Christian publishing house. The story happened to be very personal, and at that time, I couldn't emotionally handle the idea of changing the story.

This time around,though, I am planning to be agreeable in discussing suggestions an agent or publisher might have. I believe agents are sincerely trying to balance the author's best interest with the publisher's need to be profitable.

OTOH, I adore the idea of specializing in a genre. One thing that I find very disappointing is discovering a new romance author and following said author for a few years only to have the “old bait & switch” pulled on me – suddenly, the author is writing suspense or whatnot.

Finally getting a response with a lame excuse like "didn't fall in love." Some helpful constructive criticism would be nice on a full, please.

But I don't live in an ideal world and every word I write does not come out like poetry.

Building a platform is hard work and fun and at times humbling.

Writing a blog hones my skills and forces me to know more about .htaccess and FTP than I ever wanted to know.

This whole process is making me a better writer, speaker, and person. I sometimes wish it were easier, but God is using the process to make me better.

-Writers of faith who couldn't tell you the difference between Flannery O' Connor and John Cheever.

-Hearing from other writers that apparently science fiction is a no-go in the CBA world. Apparently, the Word can be translated to any language but Klingon.

-Writers (and publishers) of faith who have no qualms peddling heretical wares but bemoan the fact that popular culture "distorts religion."

-Publishers and editors of literary journals "dedicated to the written word," except those which they disagree with.

-Writers in general complaining about the lack of quality fiction. Seriously. Is YOUR story about a crumbling marriage/ loss of faith/ unexpected rekindled romance/ middle-class mid-life crisis REALLY going to be the story that shifts the paradigm, invents a new syntax and Change Literature Forever?

-Writers who become so very, very bitter. Hate them.

-Getting emailed, for the umpteenth time, a link to the youtube video of the Family Guy segment where the little boy asks the dog "how is your novel going?"

(1) Agencies who don't accept electronic queries (come on, really??)

(2) The concept of 'if I never respond, assume I wasn't interested.' Even a form decline gives at least some sense of closure-and depending on how quickly it comes can tell the author something about their query over time. I appreciate why agencies do it, I just don't like it.