In today's changing publishing world, getting an agent is crucial to getting published-but where do aspiring writers begin? New York literary agent, Lori Perkins, takes the mystery out of finding and keeping the right agent. Perkins simplifies the industry, explaining the role of literary agents and what writers should and should not expect. She then guides writers through researching and contacting an agent, including advice for writing agent queries, proposals, synopses, outlines, cover letters and follow-up correspondence. Throughout, Perkins keeps writers keenly aware of an agent's needs and goals, so they can communicate effectively and benefit more from the agent/client relationship. Writers will also gain helpful knowledge on everything from contracts and editors to sub-rights and promotions, and Perkins also provides a thorough checklist to help writers assess their efforts and chart their careers.
Very little of The Insider's Guide to Getting an Agent is devoted to getting an agent. A more apt title would have been Your Agent: A User's Manual. It's common knowledge that, as author Lori Perkins states here, "The essential task of agenting is matchmaking between editors and authors." We know as well that agents spend all day on the phone (minus two hours for lunch) and all evening poring over proposals and manuscripts. But there are questions about agentdom that beg to be answered: Is an agent a salesperson, editor, legal advisor, or all of the above? What goes on during those mysterious agent-editor lunches? How can you help your agent help you? And what exactly are all those rights and options that your agent is busy negotiating for you? Perkins uses her 15 years of experience as a literary agent to answer these and other ponderables.
At bottom, though, an agent, she quotes author Robert Weinberg here as saying, should be like "a good Jewish mother.... Pushy, annoying, constantly questioning, and wanting the very best for you." And a writer, Perkins reminds us, should let her writing do the talking. "While I remember getting a query with a blood-dripping plastic axe," she cautions, "I don't remember the book." Finally, in case you think all those New York agents are just a bunch of heartless dealmakers, guess again. "There is no bigger accomplishment," says Perkins, "than seeing one of the books that I have sold in a bookstore or in the hands of someone reading it on the subway." --Jane Steinberg
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
It's not misleading at all.:
I didn't find the book misleading. I found it exceedingly helpful, full of the "insider" knowledge that the title promised. Every chapter is related to finding the right agent, understanding the publishing/agent process, and understanding the agent/author relationship, as well as building a lasting career and relationship with an agent. Those who say it's misleading are being short-sighted. I felt this book was more candid and informative than many such books. There's no harm in reading several of... more info
The essential guide for newcomers:
Agents navigate the maze of the ever-changing publishing industry. A sellable book is a published book, but a well-published book needs an agent. And Lori Perkins explains the nuances of publishing, the tidbits that are not found in the traditional `how to' guide. For example, in the tripod of writer-agent-editor, as editors lose prominence as the writer's steering guide, agents become more than just business managers but also career consultants. Agents are people, and Perkins divides agents into... more info
Excellent Resource:
I found this book to be very helpful. Reading it gave me a better understanding of the inner workings of the publishing industry.
A very helpful book.:
Of all the books I've read with information on a new author-agent relationship and the editor-publisher process, I found this one to be the most helpful. Why? It's honest and straightforward, filled with candid tips. It's almost as if Lori Perkins is sitting down with you for a cup of coffee, offering you fifteen years of insights as she highlights why finding the right agent and building long term relationships in the book business is critical to an author's career.
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