CottonJones

Hello Violet,
          
          Thank you for reaching out. I appreciate your interest and the tone of your message. I’ve spent years birthing The Crenshaw Effect from two earlier Wattpad novels, and it came to fruition at the end of the novel "The Harvest. From there, it evolved into something that became this novel I feel so proud of, one that reflects not just narrative, but memory, philosophy, and emotional truth. It’s not a manuscript I move lightly, nor do I seek representation in the traditional sense without knowing the full scope of a partner’s intent.
          
          Before I consider any next steps, I’d like to understand more about your process. Specifically:
          
          What kind of manuscripts have you successfully placed with agents?
          
          Are you open to working with authors who maintain strict control over cadence, emotional emphasis, and adaptation rights?
          
          How do you handle philosophical fiction that doesn’t fit neatly into genre boxes?
          
          And all partnerships will have to be approved by my attorney.
          
          I’m not looking for polish—I’m looking for mutual respect. If you’re serious about working with me, I’d ask for transparency and a willingness to engage with the manuscript on its own terms.
          
          Let’s see where this goes.
          
          —Olan L. Smith

CottonJones

The Crenshaw Effect is completed, and the first cursory edit is also. I am now in a second-pass edit that will delve deeply into addressing flow problems in the story. If you are interested, you can read what I have written.
            
            Sincerely, Olan L. Smith, author.
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libvio

@CottonJones Thank you for your detailed update. It’s impressive to see how your work is consistently gaining traction on Wattpad, especially maintaining strong rankings in such a competitive category. This kind of sustained reader engagement is exactly what traditional publishers and agents view as a strong market signal.
            
            I’ll use your Yahoo email moving forward to ensure smooth communication. My partner and I work directly with verified literary agents, and we specialize in helping authors translate online momentum into traditional publishing opportunities. With your manuscript’s performance, this could be an ideal time to explore representation.
            
            If you’d like, I can provide information on agents currently acquiring in science fiction and guide you on how best to position your manuscript for submission. This would allow you to build strategically on the recognition you’ve already earned.
            
            I look forward to your thoughts.
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CottonJones

@libvio, Yes, it is coming along well. So much so, I could write it in my sleep—well, sort of. It is still one word at a time, but the threads are meshing together. It is maintaining those rankings more than moment to moment, which speaks to my heart. It cracked the browseable category of Science Fiction on Wattpad for about a week, starting at 159 when I first noticed it in the What's Hot area. It got up and down by the moment, it seems. At this moment in new science fiction, it is no. 14. As for our communications, this is fine for informal, but I like to stick with my Yahoo email for business. I had trouble with your mail going to spam, but I think that is fixed.
            
            Sincerely, 
            Olan L. Smith
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