Evil Thesis Pt 3: Final Poll

Thanks to all who have participated so far! Your answers are very interesting (and have really shocked some industry professionals (and me), based on emails I've received).

As promised, here is the third and final poll. The next blog post will detail the findings and reveal what my thesis topic is and a brief summary.

So based on the last poll, personality was by far the biggest factor when choosing an agent, followed by professionalism while also having a personality. A close third place runner up was an editorial agent.

So, with the top three out of the way, I'd like you to answer the following based on the five runner ups from the previous poll:

Poll 3: Which TWO other qualities would you want in an agent?

Poll closes FRIDAY at 11:15 a.m. 

Which TWO other qualities would you want most in an agnet?
	They have to have knowledge in eBooks
	They have to have knowledge in online marketing
	They have to have a positive / good online presence
	They have to accept email queries
	They have to have a huge track record of sales
pollcode.com free polls

Feel free to share the link with friends! If you're already published, just put what items made you choose the agent you're with.

You guys rock!

~K

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*LIVE* Neo Agent Chat!

Anyone else have this sense of "How is it almost May?!"

So many amazing things have happened this year, and 2011 can only get better!

To start, Liz Jote and I have taken your comments and suggestions and will be bringing #NeoAgent back on a regular basis with more podcasts on the topics YOU want to hear most.

To kick start this event, we're going to host a LIVE NeoAgent podcast.

"But, Kathleen," you may ask. "How can you do a LIVE podcast?"

Liz and I will be on an online location (TBA) on Thursday, May 5 at 9 p.m. EST. We will be taking YOUR questions LIVE and answering them. You'll be able to listen in LIVE (did I mention the LIVE part? :) ) and hear our replies.

I will try to keep the sarcasm and jokes to a minimum. Promise. *cough*


So get your questions ready and keep an eye on #NeoAgent on Twitter and on the blog for the announced online location! Spread the word, and let's make this one heck of a QA!

Here's a pre-written Tweet if you'd like to pass along: "Listen LIVE to the #NeoAgent QA May 5 at 9 p.m.: http://bit.ly/eOmUQz "

~KO

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Evil Thesis Pt 2 -- Blogger Poll

Thanks to all who participated in the 3K giveaway AND my thesis research. If you missed out on the call for input, check out the previous blog post.

I realize, from several comments and emails, that many people who did not participate were afraid to do so and then risk having an agent Google them and run across their answers. No problem!

Therefore, this poll is strictly anonymous :)

Poll 2: 

Think of your dream agent, 

what are the top five qualities you look for?
(Note, this is assuming your top two are "Do they represent my genre?" and "Are they a legitimate agency?")

 
VOTING HAS CLOSED. Results are below. Thanks to all who participated!

Don't forget, in the Three-part-poll wrap up, I'll share with you my thesis title and general argument. Which I hope will give you a new perspective on some things.

Feel free to share the link with friends! If you're already published, just put what items made you choose the agent you're with.

Thanks much.

~KO

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Query Update: February '11 (...and a proud sister moment)

Wootz for catching up! (Officially read all queries through before March 1)

As in previous posts, here are some current query numbers (note this is for both agents here at LA):

• Total queries sent from February 1 - 28: 799 
• Queries sent with an unsolicited attachment (aka - automatic delete unread with no response): 27
• Queries which led to requested materials: 16 (YAY! -- 13 for me and 3 for Barbara)

If you're curious what January's numbers were, click here.

I'm still closed to queries...but I'll still update as i read 'em.

In other news, today I attended the 2011 Matrix Awards. They're kind of a big deal. I was literally three inches from Rosie O'Donnell and pretty much had a ZOMFGKASJDALSJALSKDJ moment when I realized one of my FAVORITE actresses / broadway stars was there: the most amazing Idina Menzel (um, RENT, WICKED and GLEE, anyone?).


Anyway, I was there because my sister was the recipient of the 2011 Esperanza Scholarship. To be considered as a woman who will help shape the future of media in a field where other award winners include Betty White and Tina Fey is beyond an honor, and I'm SO incredibly proud of her! If you haven't gathered from my occasional Tweets, I'm very close to my family and for her to accomplish this at such a young age is beyond awesome. Congrats! 




Ok. Enough mushy stuff. Back to reading ;-)

~KO

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3K Giveaway Winner!

What a weekend! Thank you Missouri Writers Guild for such an amazing time!!

In other news....Drumroll Baby is BACK to announce the 3K giveaway winner!

Congratulations............

..........Jess Macallan! (@JessMacallan)

Jess, please email me at blog.kortizzle(at)gmail.com and let me know if you prefer YA, MG or a mix!
 

Thanks to all who participated! 

Stay tuned for #EvilThesis Part 2 Poll!

~KO

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New Layout

Hey guys,

So I'm going through the steps to (finally) blend my blog and web site together....just hang tight with some funky layout changes/navigation problems for a couple of days until I get it all settled.

Thanks!

~KO

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**Query Hiatus**

I know. 

The words querying writers hate to see.

But it's true.

I'll be attending seven conferences between now and the end of June, and I know I'll be requesting materials. Why? Because I've yet to attend a conference where I don't request something -- the quality really is just that stellar.

I also have a few awesome things in the works that I can't quite share yet, but can't wait to do so :)

it's ok. i will open to queries again. promise!

Also, I'm not sure if you've noticed...but my web site is severely lacking. Partly because I'm in the process of transferring CSS coding and Dreamweaver-based pages into blogger format and partly because it just wasn't a priority until recently.

Oh, and I'm graduating. *throws confetti* and will be taking some time off to celebrate :)

Take into account all this, plus continuing forward with my day-to-day adventures in agenting and the fact I've only read queries up through February 25 (*wince* I know, I know), and I figure it's a good time to go on a query hiatus.

I'll be taking a query hiatus effective as of Thursday, April 7, 2011.

When do I plan to open back up? Sometime over the summer. Not sure when. I'll be announcing it here for sure, as well as a couple of other blogs to start things off with a bang!


If you're wondering, "but I sent a query recently!" -- no worries. I still plan on reading all queries sent through April 6 at 11:59 p.m. and will definitely get back to everyone no later than May 1.

If you're wondering, "but you have my partial!" -- no worries. I'll definitely be in touch soon.

If you're wondering, "damn you KOrtizzle! I wanted to query you!" -- I want you to query me, too. But at the end of the day, queries are at the end of the to-do list (clients, foreign rights, audio, etc come first) so it's the item that gets to go on hiatus.

If you're wondering, "but I'm sneaky. I'll slip a query in there." -- then it's just going to be deleted with no reply.

If you're wondering, "but seriously, KOrtizzle. I'm like legit sneaky. I'll query Barbara and hope she passes it on." -- then I'll just shake my head and hit delete. Cause let's face it, I'm a transparent person. Sneaky isn't cool. Especially dishonest sneaky.

However.

The blog will still be updated. I'll still be here for the occasional ask agent. And you shall be the FIRST to know when I open back up to queries!!


~KO

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3K Giveaway!

Twitter Ninja. No real reason to use this graphic here,
except for the fact that it is EPIC.

So as stated on Twitter, when I reach a new 1K-follower landmark, I'll be doing a book giveaway :)

How do you enter?

1. You have to be a follower on Twitter (sorry non-Twitter folks, but this is a Twitter contest)

2. All you have to do is Tweet "Wootz for the 3k giveaway, @KOrtizzle!"


That's it.

Yup.

You have until 11:59 p.m. tonight! I'll go through all the @ replies and use a random number generator to pick the winner. **CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING!**

**Hint: don't RT someone who said it. Much easier to just Tweet yourself so I actually see it and can count it as part of the contest.

Prize: Five books, two of which are guaranteed ARCs. Your choice of either YA, MG, romance, non-fiction or a mix.

Up tomorrow: Part 2 of the Thesis Poll

Up Thursday: announcement/update regarding queries and requested submissions


Thanks again for following!

~KO

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