How To Be Your Own Literary Agent An Insiders Guide to Getting Your Book Published
How To Be Your Own Literary Agent An Insiders Guide to Getting Your Book Published
How to Be Your Own Literary Agent takes the mystery out of book publishing for any writer, published or not. Richard Curtis — a top literary agent for more than thirty years — provides a comprehensive practical overview of the publishing process, from submissions to contract negotiations to subsidiary rights to marketing, publicity, and beyond. He also gives away trade secrets and invaluable wisdom — candid advice that can be found nowhere else. Now completely revised and expanded, How to Be Your Own Literary Agent is essential reading for all writers.
* Big publishers, small publishers, self-publishers, e-publishers: how to keep up in a rapidly changing business
* The new breed of busy literary editors: how to find them and know what they’re looking for
* What the electronic revolution means to you, and how to take advantage of it
* How to know your “publishing” rights and negotiate effectively
* How to have a say in your book’s design, jacket, and promotion
* How book chains and superstores have altered publishing — and what that means for you
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars A Conversation with a Top Consultant
Every aspiring writer should read at least one book on the business aspects of writing and publishing. If you only read one, it should be this one. If you read two or three, this should be one of them. It’s a valuable book for all writers, agented or unagented. If you do have an agent, you should have some basic understanding of the contracts your agent sends you and the realities of the publishing industry. You may feel you don’t need to understand contracts if you’re still trying to make your first sale, but you’re going to be presented with a contract even for a magazine sale, and you should have some understanding of what you’re signing. And you should understand some things, such as the libel rules, from the time you first start writing. Curtis is a veteran author and agent. For a small price, you get the equivalent of several hours of conversation with a top consultant.
5 Stars Great Book for New Writers Breaking In
This is a wonderful book that describes the business side of literary agencies, publishing houses and the relationship between the two that makes the publishing wheel go round. He offers loads of contractual tips and explainations of your rights – which is very important.
I read his book when I was shopping my own book Never Trust A Man In Alligator Loafers. I still refer to it and brush up on contract knowledge and rights.
If you’re wondering if you need a literary agent – my answer is yes!
5 Stars An essential for writers
The title is a bit misnomered since in effect an author cannot be his own literary agent and to access editors at the major publishing houses the screening of a representative is now required by most. That aside, the book is a treasury of essential insider information for not only the newbie but for an author like myself who after having seven books published is still struggling to get his work into print.
5 Stars Very Informative, Packed with Information
Writers, find out about the business-side of writing with this easy read.
Find out how Agents decide which projects to take on and which to return with note: “sorry, not interested.” And if a publisher wants to make a deal with you, find out how to understand the contract.
Best,
Shalla
www.shalladeguzman.com
5 Stars To help writers understand the publishing industry
The title “How to be Your Own Literary Agent” may be misleading for some people, who may take it to mean that by reading this book, one can skip the need of querying for agents. It doesn’t help you get published; it says you still have to have agents to get into big publishing houses, but it does give an insider detailed view of the agent business and the publishing industry.
For the aspiring writer, most of the information is interesting but not useful, as the book itself admits – who in the world dares to bargain with the editor anyway, when he is ready to kiss the editor’s feet for agreeing to publish his first book? However, for people who wish to become professional writers, such knowledge will certainly come in handy after one becomes published.
The book reads smooth and is extremely funny, making it a pleasurable bedtime reading. I finished it around 3 a.m. with a sore neck. For example, Mr. Curtis mentions this client who claimed to be a mafia hit man. As a result, he had little trouble getting his royal check on time – he’d simply call the publisher and say “if my royalty check ain’t ready by noon tomorrow, I’m gonna marry you to a plate-glass window.” (p.114)
As one can imagine, the publisher was quick to meet this guy’s special needs. Then one day the poor guy was found shot dead outside some motel. Mr. Curtis didn’t think the publisher did it.
I highly recommend this book to any writer.
