Gatekeepers

When you work in a business that is popular, sometimes you have to set up a gatekeeper to help you keep organized. Gatekeepers are people who are ultimately working in your best interest to further your business or career and help you to filter out those people who you might not work well with.
In a business a gatekeeper is a secretary or an administrative assistant or a blogger who extols your virtues so much that you get inundated with emails and your inbox is overflowing. Often there is simply not enough time in the day for you to respond. That's where your gatekeeper comes in handy. As a new literary agent ( I've only sold one book so far), I have a great deal of query letters coming my way, and that's where my newly appointed gatekeeper Rebecca Emrich has come in handy. Actually she told me that's what she's decided to be- so that's what she is.

The role of gatekeeper is an important one. I'm depending on Rebecca to be able to judge what my likes and dislikes are when it comes to manuscripts. She may not always be right, but I do know that if she has doubts about a piece she will send it to me to make up my mind.

I do the same thing for Brian Wood- a Vancouver non-fiction agent. People send me their manuscripts and if I feel they are someone that is of interest to him, I pass it along.

I think the role of a gatekeeper is important. Not every business person or writer will agree with me there. Some do it all on their own and that's fantastic- power to you. But sometimes it is nice to know that you have people looking out for you and your best interests.

If you are busy enough that you need one- well that's success just waiting to happen!!