Agent and Editor Gifts
Tuesday, November 22, 2011 Question of the day: I'd like to get my agent a gift for the holidays but wasn't sure what the appropriate amount was to spend. Any suggestions?
This is a lovely gesture, and I'm guessing that the answer will vary widely from writer to writer. To start off with, I'd bet that just about any gift would be most unexpected and appreciated by your agent. I doubt very much that it's the monetary value spent that matters here. That said, in this day and age, with gift cards so common, it is hard not to feel a little awkward when handing off a gift certificate and wondering if you didn't just look like you handed them a twenty-dollar bill.
That said, I'm loathe to cite an exact dollar amount because I think this probably depends on how much you earn and your relationship with your agent. In my magazine days, there was a $20 cap on what editors could accept, so that made things easy: I sent everyone a $20 Starbucks card or Amazon card or whatnot, and it was the gesture that mattered. Now, I have a few wonderful editors (I don't do much mag work anymore) to whom I send something a little more indulgent (usually a $50 card based on their respective interests). In the past, when book deals have gone through, I've also sent my agent a nice gift like a massage, but again, I think it is TOTALLY the thought that counts here and whatever you feel comfortable giving will be appreciated.
But what about you guys? Any gift-giving parameters to offer?
Reader Comments (4)
I don't have an agent, but I'm a freelance writer and I always send either my editors or clients something for the holidays. Some of them, as Allison mentioned above, have caps, so that's easy - I usually will send a Starbucks gift card at the capped amount, which is usually $20 or $25. What I've done also, which the recipients really seem to love, is send something from Godiva, usually a box of truffles. It comes in a beautiful package and, of course, it's delicious and something they might not normally indulge in. I don't go overboard in the amount of money I spend for each one because I have to send out several. However, I will say that no matter what the amount, the person who receives a gift will greatly appreciate it. If you don't have much to spend, anyone would appreciate a $20 gift card to Starbucks with a nice note with it. Happy holidays, Allison, and thanks for the blog!
I think the type of gift should depend on the length and closeness of the relationship. For example, you wouldn't want to send an agent you just signed with a huge present - it would probably make him or her feel awkward if they got an Ipad or something. I didn't give my agent or editor anything at all for the first couple years simply because I didn't realize it was a custom. But the night after publication of my second novel, I had dinner with both of them in New York. And I gave them each a simple, small painting I'd commissioned that showed 10 books lined up on a bookcase. As they looked at the photos, they realized the books were actually books that had been very meaningful to them in their careers - the first book they published, the first book they worked on that hit the NYT list, etc (my editor's and agent's assistants helped identify these books and took photos for the artist).
For holidays, I usually just send cards with maybe small gifts - I agree Godivas are always good! And I send them to my editor's and agent's assistants, too, since they do so much. Curious to hear what others do!
Wow, Sarah! What you did with the paintings is very clever! And Allison, I also love the idea of a massage gift certificate -- I may steal that one, if thats okay. ..
My agent and I are very close. And I give him something that he really likes. It could be any small thing. But it will be nice to get a gift to him as a person.
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