Serious pain from this ear infection=cranky Maria, so let's talk about this 'discourse.'

Agented authors aren't better than non-agented authors. Not for editing, for CPing, for beta reading, and not for skill.

**cracks knuckles**

Let's begin (1

#writingcommunity #amwriting

Some authors will never be good editors. That's a fact. It doesn't matter how many books they've sold or not sold. Editing, particularly Developmental Editing, is a very specific skill. Now, does that mean anyone who isn't good at it can't learn? Of course not. (2

Bt signing an agency contract does NOT make someone an expert overnight. Likewise, being a Dev Editor who's also an author but isn't agented does NOT mean that person can't write and therefore shouldn't edit anyone's work (looking at you, rando who once said this to me) (3

Like everything, Dev Editing, CPing, and Beta Reading are skills that are honed over time. I'd much rather have someone with 5, 10, or 20 years experience doing any of those things over someone who popped out a mss or 2 and got signed on the first try. Why? (4

Because I know what it takes to get 'there', to bridge that gap between trenches & contract. And let me tell you, it's 60% luck, 40% skill. Maybe even 70-30. Books that get signed are those manuscripts agents have been waiting for, and not necessarily the best manuscripts (5

I can't even begin to tell you how many client manuscripts I've worked on that were ten times better than anything out on the shelves. Or how many books I've read where I wondered if it was even dev edited. But it doesn't matter, because unless your mss is everything an agent (6

is looking for in that moment, it's game over. And I have the shelved manuscripts to prove it. Good. Lord. So, stop. Is it a milestone to have an agent? Sure. Is it something most writers want? Sure. BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE ANYONE BETTER THAN ANYONE (7

It means an agent just read a nostalgic new release of their fave vampire series when your vampire mss falls on their desk and the voice wouldn't let up. Or that an agent's all-time fave movie happens to be one of your comps and boy does your MC remind them of their bff (8

It means what you've got is so 'hot' in terms of concept that they HAVE to sign it because they just got off the phone with X Acquiring Editor who literally described your mss in their slush. So, no. I won't ever specifically look for agented authors to read for me (9

I have a crew I've built over my 21 long years to signing that contract who I trust with my life. Now, why would an agent suggest something like this? I don't know. Maybe said author doesn't have a crew, so the agent thought agented authors would be a good place to start (10

Maybe the agent wanted to ensure that none of their author's ideas were stolen...which is bogus. Because their author is about a year ahead of anyone who might be reading. The answer is: I don't know why this is discourse or why anyone said what they said. But I do know this (11

You are worthy. You are amazing. You are resilient. You are powerful. Only you can write your story the way you want it written. And you will never be less-than or more-than. Because let me tell you, the other side of that contract is the damn same as the query trenches (12

And that makes us all the same.

Your words are amazing, and so are all the incredible editing/CPing/Beta Reading skills you've acquired along the way. It's on-the-job training. You've got this