Literary Agent Blog – By a Former Literary Agency President
This literary agent blog by former NY Times bestselling book agent Mark Malatesta reveals everything you want and need to know about literary agents, and everything you wouldn’t know to ask.
The categories on this literary agent blog are named and organized in a way that makes it easy for you to find exactly what you’re looking for. Scroll below to browse the latest posts on our publishing agent blog, or use the category links in the sidebar on the right!
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Literary Agent Blog – Welcome
This literary agent blog has information about literary agents, literary agencies, writing, getting published, and book marketing. You’ll even find a section on our book agent blog where you can submit your questions to a former book agent.
It’s called Ask a Literary Agent.
Many authors find this part of our literary agent blog as valuable as the articles. They appreciate the thoughtful answers to their questions, posted by former NY Times bestselling book agent–and AAR member–Mark Malatesta. But they also find themselves learning a great deal by reading other authors’ questions (and answers) on our literary agent blog.
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Recent Posts on Our Literary Agent Blog
Literary Lawyer vs Literary Attorney vs Literary Agent
What’s the difference between a literary lawyer, a literary attorney, or a literary agent who might be one of the Best Literary Agents working at one of the Top Literary Agencies? Should authors ever hire a literary attorney or literary lawyer? And, if so, what are...
Crystal Duffy Success Story Interview – Author of Twin to Twin
Crystal Duffy Success Story Interview with Mark Malatesta - During this insider interview on our literary agent blog, Crystal Duffy, author of the memoir Twin to Twin shares advice for authors of all genres about how to write, publish, and/or promote their books....
Three Feet from a Literary Agent – Don’t Quit Too Soon
The story in this post will inspire or depress you—maybe both. You decide. I’m sure you’ve heard the colloquialism, “It ain't over till the fat lady sings.” This popular expression is frequently used as encouragement to remain hopeful, even when it seems like there’s...
Michael Sanicola Success Story Interview – Author of The Pot Preacher
Michael Sanicola Success Story Interview with Mark Malatesta - During this insider interview on our literary agent blog, Michael Sanicola, author of the not-yet-published memoir The Pot Preacher shares advice for authors of all genres about how to write, publish,...
Book Editor Questions and Answers – Book Editors for Hire
This article about book editors for hire explains the various types of freelance book editors, what they do, and whether you should consider hiring one. The information in this article is based on my time as a literary agent helping authors get book deals with...
14 of the Best Electronic Gifts for Writers
I wrote this article about 14 of the best electronic gifts for writers in case: 1) you didn't get any presents during the holidays, 2) you didn't get the gift you wanted, 3) you didn't get enough gifts, or 4) you want to give another writer a gift (now, or later)....
Good News for Authors about the Publishing Industry–and the Movie Industry
Some literary agents (and authors) are overly negative. They let their frustrations dribble (and sometimes spew) onto innocent and unsuspecting passersby. This article is meant to be an antidote… It contains good news. It clears up important misconceptions. And, it’s...
Brad Harper Success Story Interview – Author of A Knife in the Fog
Brad Harper Success Story Interview with Mark Malatesta - During this insider interview on our literary agent blog, Brad Harper, author of the novel A Knife in the Fog shares advice for authors of all genres about how to write, publish, and/or promote their books....
“Chipping Out” your Book – Guest Blog Post by Martin Cohen Ph.D.
This guest post by author Martin Cohen, Ph.D., who's sold more than 250,000 books, delves into the philosophy of writing--what to say and how to say it--to make your book worthy of literary agents. Guest Post by Martin Cohen There's a passage in Plato, one that is as...
Do Positive Thinking Authors Really Have an Advantage?
Do positive thinking authors have an advantage over authors who are negative, skeptical, or less hopeful? The answer might surprise you. Obviously, being positive can't hurt. In fact, it can help. Positive thinking authors who are confident about their writing, their...
Literary Agents – Finding the Right Literary Agent
Finding the right literary agent is just as important as finding a literary agent and getting signed in the first place. It might seem far-fetched to think about two or more agents wanting to represent you—especially if you’re a new author—but it can happen (for...
Social Media for Authors Seeking Literary Agents
How important is social media for authors seeking literary agents and publishers? As a former literary agent turned author coach, authors often ask me: What is an "author platform?" How important is social media to literary agents and publishers? How...
How to Get a Literary Agent – 3 Things Every Author Needs to Know
You might already know the three things that will determine whether you get a literary agent: 1) The quality of your book, 2) The quality of your query letter (and book proposal, if you’re a nonfiction author), and 3) How you think about the publishing process. Here’s...
Jeri-Anne Agee Interview – The Life and Times of Birdie Mae Hayes
Jeri-Anne Agee Success Story Interview with Mark Malatesta - During this insider interview on our literary agent blog, Jeri-Anne Agee, author of the children's chapter book series The Life and Times of Birdie Mae Hayes shares advice for authors of all genres about...
What Literary Agents Do with Their Time – Literary Agent Job Description
Literary Agent Job Description – An author recently posted the following question for me: “What do literary agents do with their time? I know they send material to publishers and wait for them to respond, just like authors must wait for literary agents to respond....
Lakshmi Subramani Interview – Author of Lights Out (Random House)
Lakshmi Subramani Success Story Interview with Mark Malatesta – During this insider interview on our literary agent blog, Laskhmi Subramani, author of the memoir Lights Out shares his best tips for authors of all genres (at all stages of development) about how to...
The Most Successful Literary Agents – Famous Literary Agents
Famous Literary Agents – Who are they? Should you try to get one of the most successful literary agents? Or, are mid-level literary agents better? This article is part of a series of articles and other resources to help authors of all genres get Literary Agents. Click...
Literary Agents – Processing Fees, Reading Fees, and Other Paid Services
Literary Agents and Reading Fees, Processing Fees, and Other Paid Services – What are they and what do you need to know about them? Literary Agents and Reading Fees If you’ve been part of, or studied, the publishing industry for decades, like I have, you might already...
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"Berkley Books recently published my book in hardcover after Mark helped me get multiple agents interested in my work. I was able to speak with literary agents from top agencies such as Janklow & Nesbit, Trident Media, Anderson Lit, and Folio. I signed with Don Fehr at Trident Media and a short time later I had a publishing contract! Having Mark on your side is incredibly valuable." [Click here to see all Mark Malatesta reviews]
About Mark Malatesta
MARK MALATESTA is a former literary agent turned author coach. Mark now helps authors of all genres (fiction, nonfiction, and children's books) get top literary agents, publishers, and book deals through his company Literary Agent Undercover and The Bestselling Author. Mark's authors have gotten six-figure book deals, been on the NYT bestseller list, and published with houses such as Random House, Scholastic, and Thomas Nelson. Click here to learn more about Mark Malatesta and click here for Reviews of Mark Malatesta.About Mark Malatesta
MARK MALATESTA is a former literary agent turned author coach. Mark now helps authors of all genres (fiction, nonfiction, and children's books) get top literary agents, publishers, and book deals through his company Literary Agent Undercover and The Bestselling Author. Mark's authors have gotten six-figure book deals, been on the NYT bestseller list, and published with houses such as Random House, Scholastic, and Thomas Nelson. Click here to learn more about Mark Malatesta and click here for Reviews of Mark Malatesta.* * *
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