Ramblings About Having an Agent

I've been thinking a lot about the changes that have happened now that I have an agent. Here are some good (and not so good) things I've noticed.

(DISCLAIMER: None of the not-so-good things have to do with my agent. They are all about me. My agent ROCKS.)

GOOD: For the first time in a long time, I feel validated as a writer. I can't tell you how many years I've watched friends/family/complete strangers I've stopped on the street let their eyes glaze over as I talk about my writing.

NOT SO GOOD: Since when did I ever become so needy? My agent sends me a note that says, for example, "I liked this," and I want to email him back and beg him to tell me every minuscule reason why I am the greatest writer in the world, and to lie about it if I'm not. That can't be normal.

GOOD: I don't feel as guilty about doing writing-related things such as attending my writers group or writing conferences, or telling my husband we need to spend money on my writing business for a change.

NOT SO GOOD: My house is messier than ever. Sorry, hubby dear.

GOOD: I actually have a writing business now.

NOT SO GOOD: So far, my business has not been very profitable.

GOOD: I really enjoy the collaboration process. That surprises me. I've tried collaborating before and it always felt like a lot of work to mesh two people's thoughts and ideas together. Not this time.

NOT SO GOOD: I feel a little guilty calling it "my book" when someone else has made some mighty fine suggestions to make it better. I feel like his/her name should go on the title, too. (Though this has always been a problem for me. Now it's just been magnified a hundred-fold.)

GOOD: There are real superstar editors out there, reading MY manuscript! Awesome!

NOT SO GOOD: There are real superstar editors out there, reading MY manuscript?! Are they nuts?!

(Oh, UPDATE: agent man is sending my manuscript today [hopefully] to some editors. He liked the revisions I sent him a few days ago. Whew and YIPPEE!)

But in all honesty, this has been the most exciting/frightening/nerve-wracking/validating process. I'm really enjoying it, nerves and all. Though it will be nice when things settle down a bit, so I can stop tossing and turning all night long (I don't sleep well when I'm excited).