Thread by @AwaisKhanAuthor

@virtwriting Many thanks to @virtwriting for inviting me to talk about #HowIGotMyAgent this week. As an author based in Pakistan, my journey has been particularly hard, but like they say, nothing is impossible in this world. I'm represented by @CROSSLANDAM @aforauthors (1/12)

@virtwriting @CROSSLANDAM @aforauthors It wasn't until 2012 that I seriously considered writing a book. Call it chance, but around that time I came across the inaugural @FaberAcademy 6 Month Online Novel Writing Course offered in association with @Profwriting. Believe me, that course changed my life! (2/12)

@virtwriting @CROSSLANDAM @aforauthors @FaberAcademy @Profwriting Not only did I learn about writing, but also how the world of publishing worked. For the first time, I had an idea of who literary agents were and what exactly they did. I went on to take the Editing course once again @FaberAcademy (3/12)

@virtwriting @CROSSLANDAM @aforauthors @FaberAcademy @Profwriting As part of the course, I got a chance to interact with Sam Copeland, Literary Agent at Rogers, Coleridge and White. He demystified the entire process, stressed on making sure my writing wasn't stilted and also on how important titles could be (sometimes) (4/12)

@virtwriting @CROSSLANDAM @aforauthors @FaberAcademy @Profwriting I learned lots during the course, but I made the mistake of thinking my work was perfect. I went ahead and submitted to agents without editing the book to devastating results. I got turned down by almost everyone. This showed me how important editing was. (5/12)

@virtwriting @CROSSLANDAM @aforauthors @FaberAcademy @Profwriting Around that time, I got in touch with Hazel Orme, a renowned editor in UK Publishing. She helped me hone my manuscript and make it for for submission. Only when she was 100% sure that the novel was fit for submission did I press the button (6/12)

@virtwriting @CROSSLANDAM @aforauthors @FaberAcademy @Profwriting This time, it was a mixed bag of results. There were turndowns, yes, but also some full manuscript requests. I was told by an agent that my work was absolute rubbish and that I should return to the drawing board. I was disheartened enough to give up. (7/12)

@virtwriting @CROSSLANDAM @aforauthors @FaberAcademy @Profwriting The next day, I got a 100 page request from @JonnyGeller . That was when I knew that this industry was subjective and that I must develop a very thick skin in order to survive here. Although Jonny didn't take me on, he was instrumental
(8/12)

@virtwriting @CROSSLANDAM @aforauthors @FaberAcademy @Profwriting @JonnyGeller In helping me with my self-confidence. Never again was I going to let someone tell me I couldn't write. Out of the full manuscript requests, @CROSSLANDAM was the first one to write to me. (9/12)

@virtwriting @CROSSLANDAM @aforauthors @FaberAcademy @Profwriting @JonnyGeller She told me my book was important and that the story deserved to be read as widely as possible. She promised to do her level best for me if I signed up with her.
I DID. I took the plunge and signed the contract. (10/12)

@virtwriting @CROSSLANDAM @aforauthors @FaberAcademy @Profwriting @JonnyGeller Annette has been a star agent and my biggest champion. However, we had a lot of difficulty in placing In the Company of Strangers which just goes on to show how difficult it is for a Pakistani author to get Published in the UK (11/12)

@virtwriting @CROSSLANDAM @aforauthors @FaberAcademy @Profwriting @JonnyGeller I landed an agent because of @FaberAcademy and my amazing editor, Hazel Orme. Without them, I would have had no chance at all. Hazel also advised me to submit to a few agents at a time so that I could go ahead and revise the book if needed.(12/12)