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Books & Such Literary Management

A full-service literary agency that focuses on books for the Christian market.

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Mary DeMuth

16 Things I wish I knew when I started building my platform

June 12, 2022 //  by Mary DeMuth//  23 Comments

I recently shared this information with a group of authors. The reason I talked about these things is because I have made so many mistakes as I built my own platform. I long for others to have a smoother path, …

16 Things I wish I knew when I started building my platformRead More

Moneyball for Authors

April 24, 2022 //  by Mary DeMuth//  17 Comments

Like many of you, I’ve been operating in this space as an author for many years, and now I have the privilege of being an agent. What I’ve seen is that it’s very difficult to make a sustained income as …

Moneyball for AuthorsRead More

Don’t Let Nostalgia Kill Your Platform

March 6, 2022 //  by Mary DeMuth//  7 Comments

The glory days were fun, weren’t they? The heydays too. But they’ve both attempted to sideline me in my quest to build a reader platform.

Why?

Because if we stay back in the days when authors had the luxury of …

Don’t Let Nostalgia Kill Your PlatformRead More

Why Do Some Poorly Written Books Sell Well?

January 16, 2022 //  by Mary DeMuth//  33 Comments

I asked this question on Facebook: “Why do poorly written books sell well?” Here’s the feedback I received:

  • Some spoke of the importance of story (and I agree.) A poorly written book with a knockout story will sell. We are
…

Why Do Some Poorly Written Books Sell Well?Read More

What a Nathaniel Hawthorne Story Teaches us About our Art

December 30, 2021 //  by Mary DeMuth//  24 Comments

Recently, I remembered a piece I dissected in college, a short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne entitled, “The Celestial Railroad.” It’s a parody, of serious sorts, about Bunyan’s Pilgrims Progress, where in enlightened modern times, folks have taken to bypass such …

What a Nathaniel Hawthorne Story Teaches us About our ArtRead More

7 Traits of Great Speakers

December 9, 2021 //  by Mary DeMuth//  15 Comments

When I first started publishing, I asked a seasoned professional what the very best way to sell books was. Her answer? Speaking. For those of you who are building your platform, and part of that platform involves speaking, here are …

7 Traits of Great SpeakersRead More

Realistic Goals for Writers

November 18, 2021 //  by Mary DeMuth//  16 Comments

If you want to go anywhere in the business of writing, it is imperative you set goals and then meet them, particularly when you’re starting out. If you’re someone worried about deadlines, here’s a handy way to prepare yourself now. …

Realistic Goals for WritersRead More

A Social Media Liturgy

October 28, 2021 //  by Mary DeMuth//  27 Comments

Recently I wrote about slowing down, resting, and not getting so caught up in the machine of platform building. (I know: it’s a conundrum. We have to do it, but there are times that wholeheartedly pursuing it fractures our hearts). …

A Social Media LiturgyRead More

Art is risk

October 6, 2021 //  by Mary DeMuth//  28 Comments

Seth Godin writes, “Free doesn’t make something a gift. Free might be a marketing strategy, free might make a generous present, but free doesn’t automatically make something a gift. Gil Scott Heron’s album isn’t free, but it’s a gift. …

Art is riskRead More

20 truths I wish I would’ve known when I started publishing

September 16, 2021 //  by Mary DeMuth//  27 Comments

If I were able to time travel (those of you who write time travel books make it look so easy!), I would find younger writer me, prior to publishing, and tell her these hard-won truths I’ve learned. I hope these …

20 truths I wish I would’ve known when I started publishingRead More

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