Literary Agents: A Writer's Introduction

By John F. Baker

Book Overview

Featuring in-depth interviews with the industry's leaders, this title is an insider's guide to the most powerful literary agents and how to find the right one.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0028617401
• ISBN13: 9780028617404
• Release Date: April 1999
• Publisher: MacMillan Publishing Company
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.6" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Meet Literary Agents

Find out what literary agents are looking for. Get to know a little bit about specific literary agents.

Solid Agent Background and Insight for Any Writer

Almost anyone can hang out a shingle with the title "literary agent." How can the writer tell the legitimate agents from the vultures who prey on new writers? Often publishers are overwhelmed with submissions and with the ever-changing market and movement of editors from one house to another, agents play an increasing role in the marketplace. As Baker writes, "Agents, unlike authors or even editors and publishers, are seldom interviewed, and much of the material in this book is therefore unique. It is hoped that it will give its readers a much better idea than they have ever had before of how these most important players in the book world think and operate--and in the process, a better sense of who might or might not be receptive to their work." Agents are on the inside track for understanding which editor or publisher takes what type of book. Also they increasingly work with writers to develop ideas and proposals, then use those proposals as sales tools with the editor. While a writer's allegiance to a particular publisher or editor has often vanished, the chemistry between a writer and his literary agent often outlasts any change. This book covers about 70 agents and it's only a sampling from this industry insider and regular contributor to Publisher's Weekly. Each chapter profiles different agents and their specialty such as fiction or genre fiction or nonfiction or spiritual material. Also Baker asks each of them about their perspective on book publishing which provides some interesting insight. The end of each chapter includes the agent's contact information. According to Baker, a well-written letter or proposal remains the best way to catch the agent's attention. I recommend this book for writers who want to learn more about the book marketplace and agents in particular. Some of the advice may help you in an ever-changing market.

Useful. Informative and well written.

It was great to read the backgrounds of these agents. It certainly helps any writer wanting to contact them.

A valuable resource for any writer--professional or beginner

Almost anyone can hang out a shingle with the title, "literary agent." How can you tell the legitimate agents from the vultures? Often publishers are overwhelmed with submissions and with the ever-changing market and movement of editors, agents play a more significant role in the marketplace. As Baker writes, "Agents, unlike authors or even editors and publishers, are seldom interviewed, and much of the material in this book is therefore unique. It is hoped that it will give its readers a much better idea than they have ever had before of how these most important players in the book world think and operate-and in the process, a better sense of who might or not be receptive to their work." While a writer's allegiance to a particular publisher or editor has often vanished, the chemistry between a writer and his literary agent often outlasts any change. This book covers about 70 agents from this industry insider, who is the editorial director at Publisher's Weekly. Also Baker asks each of them about their perspective on book publishing which provides some interesting insight. The end of each chapter includes the agent's contact information. According to Baker, a well-written letter or proposal remains the best way to catch an agent's attention. I recommend this book for writers who want to learn about the book marketplace and agents in particular. Some of the advice will help you in an ever-changing market.

Excellent documentary narrative, with point

Funny, at times terrifying, but hopeful (aren't publishing people congenitally hopeful?) litany from some fine agents, all of them saying editors no longer have autonomy, corporate publishing's bottom-line crap sucks, publishers are (intentially?) inefficient despite computers, and slow to pay (surprise), etc. I really enjoyed it; Baker did a great job turning the interviews into a narrative. Very interesting, in a pointed, perhaps even wistful way.