I’ve always had a schadenfreude reaction to agent and editor stories about the worst clients or wanna-be-authors they’ve had to interact with. From people shoving manuscripts under a bathroom stall door, to trying to get them drunk, to showing up at their homes to pitch to them (can you say, stalker?)…there are stories galore about rude, inconsiderate, and downright creepy ways people have approached the gatekeepers of the publishing industry.
Note. These stories are not attempts for you to emulate. They are warnings that you must heed very carefully and make sure you never come close to copying should you wish to remain off publishing blacklists.
However, I do believe that this recent story, as related by Kristin Nelson of the Nelson Literary Agency takes the prize for the ultimate act of clueless idiocy.
Read about it on her blog: The Best “What Not To Do At A Conference” Story Ever
I haven’t personally seen anyone make a fool of themselves at a writing conference, or anywhere else during my time in the industry. Disappointing. Have you all had an experience worth remembering–though not in a good way?
I see that smile.
I just found that story on Kristin’s blog a last night. It’s amazing how inconsiderate people can be. And it doesn’t make sense, either! You really expect any of these agents to represent you when you’ve been /that/ rude to them? Some people are clueless.
But–the under the bathroom stall thing. Are you sure that one doesn’t take the prize? That one just makes me laugh, rather than cringe at the stupidity of man.
Well actually I think I was pretty awful at my first conference — my sister and I woke an agent up with our noisy banter in our hotel room — I blogged about it a while ago.
What we do in the name of cluelessness.
Hah. That’s a great one, Orion! Did she actually knock on your door? Would’ve been priceless if you’d sat down at her pitch table the next day.