5.19 a week in the life of a literary agent

Summer Fridays begin…

This week had fewer meetings and more random issues than a standard week; but then again, what is a standard week!

First ride to the beach on Sunday:

I don’t know this cyclist but look at that sea & sky

With certain details deleted or obscured to protect my clients’ privacy, here’s a week in my life as a literary agent. Here’s my April week for the curious.

Monday

On Monday I travel to Brooklyn College to speak on a panel and then have individual meetings with the MFA students; it’s really nice! I read part of a manuscript on the subway to and from but can’t answer many emails.

I post this:

A brief note on rejection & resilience

For dinner I make a version of ‘marry me beans’ that I saw online for dinner and learn my husband doesn’t really like sundried tomatoes. Too late!

Tuesday

I ride 10 miles around the park; I sit down to prep a submission at 9 am. Authors text me questions. I do laundry in between answering emails. There’s a great review of Mutual Interest by Olivia Wolfgang-Smith in The Maris Review! I make a spinach & sundried tomato pesto pasta for lunch now that I learn the wrinkly fruits are household rejects.

I return to 70 unread emails, which I chip away at while continuing with sub prep. I take a quick walk before a 4pm marketing & publicity call. The ‘white male millennial novelist’ conversation comes up and I am required to recommend that you preorder The Frequency of Living Things by Nick Fuller Googins. I do some organizing, money chasing, go through my query inbox, and then read manuscripts until 7pm. Husband cooks dinner.

Wednesday

Exercise, breakfast, at desk at 9:15. I have a zoom, then go into the office; a lunch, and then get pulled into a situation. When I return to my desk I have 105 unread emails.

I leave at 6 and go out to Café Kestrel for a date night.

dreaming of this spoon

Thursday

I swim then take the subway to the office. 93 unread emails. I have some calls, read some client work, check in with some clients on how the writing’s going. I eat leftovers for lunch and take a walk¹.

I answer many emails but then people respond to my emails and so, I end up with more emails. I finalize some editorial notes and do some prep for the week ahead. At 6:15 I walk to dinner with friends to discuss On the Calculation of Volume I and II. Mixed reviews on the propulsiveness and conceit but I’m locked in and will be buying III in November.

Friday

Work from home day; breakfast and coffee at the table while I go through queries and type this up. I post a May Q&A.

I get to Inbox 0 and read requested manuscripts. Husband makes fried rice for lunch. More reading, and then I log off & go to a class at the gym. When I return, a contract has come in for review.

Thanks for following along this week! Enjoy the long weekend —

Currently reading: The Age of Magical Overthinking by Amanda Montell and The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong

1. This walk ends up in the Banana Republic store and I buy a navy sweater for 30% off