Comments on: Doing Deidre Knight!

By: R.G. Alexander

R.G. Alexander — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 16:54:05 +0000

Eden-the best you can get away with is being a REALLY GOOD bad influence LOL

Dierdre: Thank you for coming to see us! And I second Crystal’s comment-mention Joss-instant love. :)

By: Eden Bradley

Eden Bradley — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:58:33 +0000

I prefer to think of myself as a gooooood influence…*G*
Dierdre-we are trying to put together a reader party for RT next year where everyone can come in costume-we will be sure to let you know!
I love what you said about finding balance and doing something useful in some aspect of your life every day-I need to remember that those columns other than ‘author’ are important and count for something, even if my writing is let go for the day.
Thanks so much for coming to visit us!

By: Maya Doyle

Maya Doyle — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:05:03 +0000

I’m with Crystal–anyone who uses Joss/Buffy analogies wins with me, LOL.

I find that I don’t really get nostalgic–not that much. I guess my future seems brighter than my past, at least when it comes to writing. I’d always written something, but I never started writing stories until a few years ago.

And honestly, I swear I don’t know how mothers/wives/agents/writers do it all–especially successfully! Y’all are amazing. Just sayin’.

By: Shannon McKelden

Shannon McKelden — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:42:11 +0000

I get that nostalgia, too, sometimes. For peace and quiet, and nothing bombarding me for my attention right this very minute.

But as soon as I do have downtime, I long for the ‘net. I long for contact with my cyberfriends, or I find myself being fascinated at the information immediately available at my fingertips. And then I wonder how I ever did without this technology!

What did I do with myself in the evenings? Watch tv?? (I may have read more, but I still make time for reading now…sometimes too much time.)

So, I get it. I think having all this technology makes us appreciate the down-times, the quiet times. But if our lives went back to being all quiet all the time, we’d go crazy missing the stimulation! :-)

By: Kate Pearce

Kate Pearce — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:35:08 +0000

I don’t know how you do it actually. I have a hard enough time dealing with 4 kids my house and my writing and you add agenting on top of that :)
I’m not sure I always get the balance right between everything-I think my daughter has gone feral this summer due to all the freedom she’s had LOL
Sometimes I wish for the pre-kid days or simply the chance to sleep for as long as I want and not have my days all scheduled up a year in advance. But then I wouldn’t really want to change anything because I’m so lucky to have a career I love and a family.
I wonder if all mother/writer/women feel like this?
hugs!

By: Rowan Larke

Rowan Larke — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:07:06 +0000

Oh! I didn’t even THINK about the reverse…the writer-as-agent…I suppose it makes it easier when your authors tell you about the voices in their head…

Another question…do you find the authors you work with are similar to you in style/content or process?

How DO you manage your time? Are you very regimented so that from 9-5 you are Deidre-the-Agent, and 5-9 Deidre-the-Author? CAN you set aside one while you do the other?

And yes. A crochet collective! Like the Borg only more close-knit (groan!)

By: Deidre Knight

Deidre Knight — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:54:49 +0000

Hi, Rowan:
I think that in a lot of ways it is MUCH harder to be a writer and an agent. But, on the other hand, I think I’ve learned TONS as an agent as a result of being an author. Which is a bit of an inverted look at your initial question. Seriously…when I think of all the publicity and promo knowledge I’ve gained as a writer, and can in turn share with my clients, I’m amazed. I mean, today on Houston FM radio we have two clients being showcased along with me. Well, the reason I met this producer was as a result of my own writing–and, in turn, was able to line up clients.

But, yes, knowing too much about how this business works has caused me some serious heartache at times. I try to forget all that I know in terms of my own career, but it can be hard. I also get burned out on reading/editing/writing as a result of my job, so when I turn to my writing, not as refreshed as I could be. But, OTOH, my writing itself refreshes me a lot of the time.

Yes, I think i should go start a crochet collective!! Hugs

By: Rowan Larke

Rowan Larke — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:46:25 +0000

I’m in awe of anyone who writes and holds down any kind of day-job.

It’s been argued that having a writing-related day-job (like being an agent) makes the road as writer smoother. I…think it’d make it harder, because I tend to take market talk to heart a little more than I should (You can’t write “THAT” b/c it won’t sell!)

Do you ever find yourself wishing your day job was something completely unrelated to writing? Like…underwater basket-weaving, or crocheting, perhaps?

By: Deidre Knight

Deidre Knight — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:42:35 +0000

Oh, I’d be so game on the steampunk party. The book I’m writing now has a very slight steampunk vibe to it. Well…can’t issue spoilers here, but I can tell you in an email. So I’d be all over that! The pics are awesome. What creative ladies you are.

By: Crystal Jordan

Crystal Jordan — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:40:10 +0000

We stole an old couch from Feisty’s garage, drove out into the Nevada desert behind her house, plunked down the sofa, and poof! Insta-photoshoot-set!

We’re planning to redo the photos at RT next year. In fact, I think there’s a Smutketeers steampunk party in the works. I blame Eden…she’s a bad influence!