Effing Genius

The wonderful wonderful wonderful Maureen Johnson has a manifesto:

The internet is made of people. People matter. This includes you. Stop trying to sell everything about yourself to everyone. Don’t just hammer away and repeat and talk at people—talk TO people. It’s organic. Make stuff for the internet that matters to you, even if it seems stupid. Do it because it’s good and feels important. Put up more cat pictures. Make more songs. Show your doodles. Give things away and take things that are free. Look at what other people are doing, not to compete, imitate, or compare . . . but because you enjoy looking at the things other people make. Don’t shove yourself into that tiny, airless box called a brand—tiny, airless boxes are for trinkets and dead people.

There's lots of context, which you should go read, but, seriously, YES. YES. YES. YES. If you're arguing, I don't know, read Lewis Hyde's The Gift and see how you feel.

Relatedly: I would also like to ban the word networking–it's called Being Interested In Other People when done in the right spirit. Or, at the very least, should never ever be undertaken in the ungenerous spirit of What Can You Do For Me. Because that is boring and, also, awful.

The Internet *is* a conversation or, rather, many conversations. Like the rest of life. Don't break it.

Okay, so even though I am SLAMMED with pre-NYC stuff*, it is amazing to see everyone sharing their agent love for Agent Appreciation Day, and I am feeling especially grateful for my agent, the wonderful Jennifer Laughran at Andrea Brown Literary, this week anyway because she just sent me notes on my new project. (Yay, new project!) Here are five reasons why she's so great:

1. I have never waited more than an hour to hear back from her on any question or query, and usually it's within minutes.

2. I have told her this before, but she gives truly great notes–it's like getting the reaction of the smartest, best reader in the world. Invaluable. She is fiercely dedicated to her clients and is also incredibly timely at reading and responding to manuscripts.

3. She is always honest and direct. I know her enthusiasm is genuine. And she doesn't yell at me for not being very good at describing whatever project I'm working on.

4. In this one, I lump all the things I can't go into detail about here, but which she knows. Yeah, that stuff.

5. She is a great *person*. I thought Jenn was wonderful way before she ever became my agent or even an agent. She has great taste and she's basically a wunderkind dynamo and hilarious to boot.

OH, I could go on, but I will stop by saying that getting to know some of Jenn's other clients has been a real gift this year. May next year rock hard and often for us all.

—

*Internal Q&A from today:

How do we know so many people in NY? Um, publishing.

Why don't we live there? Because we like it here(?).

There is no way we will get to see everyone, not even close, WAH! So come to the reading, and we will see you there at least.

What do you think, Julie Larios? (And any other poets of my acquaintance who might like to weigh in?)

(Via Professor Nana.)

Best early birthday present ever? Dana, aka D.E. Rasso, from the late, lamented Number One Hit Song has a new blog. Raise a glass in celebration if you're a sentient being and go add her to your feed reader (or bookmark, if you're hardcore old school). 

Christopher announces the excellent news that he’s now represented by Shana Cohen at the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency. Go congratulate him some.

Things never to do NUMBER ONE: Let your passport expire without noticing until the day before you need to use it.

If anyone has a fairy godmother who does emergency passports, please let me know. We’re working on it, if we can just get to Miami in time, etc.

Updated: We think it’ll work out and we’ll just get there a day and a half or so later. Keep your fingers crossed for understanding airport agents (so far, so good) and passport people. Also, for passport cancellations at the Miami center tomorrow! (I have an appt. but Thursday, but we could go standby tomorrow evening if I managed to get in early.) Oh and HEY, if anyone lives in Miami and I’ve spaced and you want to grab dinner or something (or has a recommendation for a hotel), let me know.

to Dave Schwartz — you need to watch this IMMEDIATELY. (The rest of you might like it too.)