Sometimes you’re the last to know where your path is leading, even if, in hindsight, the destination was clear all along. When I graduated from college with a degree in Communication Studies, I wasn’t sure what I’d do with it. …
Finding an Agent
Ten Things that Make a Thumbs-Up Novel
Today, I’ve decided on a very subjective exploration about what makes me give a novel an unflinching thumbs up. This is not a blog that represents anyone’s taste but mine. Purely personal. I’m guessing there wouldn’t be another literary agent …
Publishing Timeline
The other day I received an email from a potential client asking me if I would have an answer for him about representation quickly because he was counting on his book releasing from a traditional publisher this year. He felt …
Four Things Agents Look for When Checking Out Your Website
While social media seems to be where everyone is gathering online, your author website is still important for your writing career. Social media is like the car you drive around in to invite people to join you on the journey. …
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What Not to Say
Several years ago I outlined these ten no-nos. With conference season in full swing I thought a refresher would be a good thing. Plenty of blogs tell you how to approach an agent, what to say and how to say …
Looking Back to Help Others Move Forward
I still remember the day a California Bay Area newspaper featured an article titled “Accidental Author Shares God’s Word.” I smile remembering that it was in the front section of the paper as if this was news. It was true, …
What Makes an Agent Say Yes?
I wrote this blog post in 2009. Because so much of it remains true today, I thought I’d retread it with updates and take it out for another spin. After all, the quest to find an agent still goes on. …
Publishing Culture
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about how important it is for an author to understand the culture of a publishing house or the culture of a literary agency. What do I mean by publishing culture?
I’m not …
Types of Literary Agents
I wrote this blog post several years ago. Somethings remain the same over time, including the various types of literary agents a writer can choose from. Here’s the post:
Yesterday I had a conversation with Dee, a potential new client. …
Three Ways to Annoy an Agent
Here at Books & such Literary Management, we work hard to stay positive and non-judgmental in our interactions with potential clients but there are a few things that annoy us no end. Let me enumerate three for you.
Contacting an …