Tuesday, November 18, 2008

An Agent is like a really cool Sherpa...

Okay, so I guess I should have mentioned that I wrote a book. (I always seem to do things backwards). It's a Young Adult novel, with light light sci-fi elements.

Once I was finished, I started learning about the road to publication. Suffice it to say, the road is not straight and flat. It's long, winding, perilous, and sometimes it has gaps where, if you're not careful, you will plunge to your death. I don't think I'm exaggerating.

Or maybe the road isn't a road, more like a trail. If publication is similar to summiting Mount Everest, then an agent is like your sherpa. Sure, maybe you can reach the top without a sherpa, but chances are better you'll end up frozen along the side of the trail. (Sorry about all the death analogies, I'm really not this tragic).

Once you finish your novel, it's kind of like you have hand-picked and assembled all of your unique hiking gear. (Tents, parkas, ice picks, boots, etc). Now all you need to do is find your sherpa. Only imagine that the village of sherpas would rather swallow their own tongues than be hired by you. They already have enough hikers, they don't need someone with your "cliche" backpack, or your tent full of "holes in the plot." Mostly, they don't like your main ice picks, because you haven't made your ice picks very "likable".

Just when you're thinking all of your gear is the most pathetic gear out there, and you're sure all the other sherpas have been discussing your gear over lunch, and laughing about it, suddenly Sherpa Ted- one of the hottest sherpas around- appears. And he loves your gear. And he thinks your main ice pick is the absolute best, although she can be a little violent. (That's my main character, if you didn't quite make the connection).

So then you're ready to start the hike, with Sherpa Ted by your side, refilling your oxygen tanks and showing where your tent holes are, and how to fix them. Now all you have to do is hope your lungs don't give out, hope the weather holds, and hope that the summit is reachable. But you can't help noticing how the storm clouds seem to be brewing. (The economy).

Hopefully, this provides a little background, and explains why I love Sherpa Ted so much, and why I get a little mushy when his name is mentioned.

My sister author, Bree Despain, described getting an agent as getting into the top three of American Idol. Maybe I should have stuck to that analogy.

20 comments:

  1. I am sure he will love his nickname of Sherpa Ted.

    I also like the American Idol analogy...trust me, I will be flooding the phone circuit lines with all my calls to get you to the top!

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  2. You are going to be great. Be positive, can't wait until you are on the best seller list and everyone anticipating the release of the movie and we can say we knew you when!

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  3. So, have you...like...totally met David Cook?

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  4. Way to go Bro! You are a wonderful writer! I can't wait to buy copies and copies!!!

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  5. Yeah, it's me and David Cook and David Archuleta, clawing our way to the top of Mount Everest, and our sherpas are battling each other on the trail... wait, this analogy is getting a touch confusing.

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  6. I love your analogy--I have a friend who made that hike-Sherpa and all- didn't get to the summit- wasn't planning on it from the beginning, but until he did that, I had never heard of a Sherpa and NO I don't live under a rock. I'm glad you are going for it!

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  7. We read your book and could not put it down. I am not biased, but I know good writing when I read it. However, it could use a little more onomatopoeia.

    Joan and Dennis

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  8. Hey--I want a sherpa for my book too, but I really want one for my life!

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  9. we need a PICTURE of sherpa Ted, we hear he's HOT! HOT! HOT!
    please?

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  10. I like your analogy better than my American Idol one. I'd much rather think of Ted as my sherpa than as Simon Cowell. He's much too nice, and has way better hair!

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  11. Brodi-
    Keep at it. I know that you can make it all the way. We love you and we love your book. Couldn't put it down.

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  12. Can't wait until I can say I knew you before you were wrote your Young Adult novel, with light light sci-fi elements. You go girl!

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  13. Avery and Alisha here... Can't wait to find out more about your book!! Is there a title?
    Love ya!

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  14. Duh, we just went to your website and now we know the title! It sounds great!! We want to know more.

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  15. Yeah I so need to see a picture of Ted? do you think you could get one of his bare chest?

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  16. You are hilarious! It feels just about that dire. (Although I have yet to find a sherpa that loves my gear.) I am so glad Mike (Jensen, my husband) reconnected with you. I can't wait to meet you in person.

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  17. Let me know when you have your book signing and I will be there! Brodi, you never cease to amaze me...who knew, a book. Way to go.

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  18. Oh and if your agent is your Sherpa, who is your website designer because I have to say they are not bad themselves. Love your website.

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  19. Kris-
    Would you believe I designed my website?....
    Neither would I. But I did choose the template, and then wrote the content, and then my high school friend Erik Rowland got it up and running.
    Keersten-
    Welcome! Keep it up on the whole agent thing. All it takes is one Sherpa...

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