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!
* * *
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.
* * *
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...
Biography
TBA
Links
TBA
Coaching Success Stories
“Mark, finding you has been both a treat and a treasure—I just signed a contract with my new literary agent!
My career has spanned publishing, TV, and feature film. I’ve served as Creative Dir. for the Magazine Group, TIME Inc.; Dir. of Time World News Service, a Founding Dir. of TIME-Life Films; Exec. Prod. for both the CBS and NBC TV Networks; Prod./Dir.: Movies of the Week: CBS Cinema Center Films and Universal MCA.
In today’s publishing marketplace, agents come and go. They also very often seem to just want an easy pathway to make a buck. Many authors are let go by their agents because their last book didn’t do well enough and the agent doesn’t want to devote the time to help the author. That’s not what you’re about Mark. Even established authors need this type of support in today’s marketplace."
Nathaniel Lande
Author of ten fiction and nonfiction books
* * *
“I’m psyched to have this be official. After getting five different offers for representation from top literary agents, I signed with Stephanie Tade who got me a 6-figure book deal with Penguin!
Getting multiple agents interested in my work was really important to me. I’ve dealt with agents before and gotten screwed on things contractually so I wanted to do it differently this time. I wanted choices.
Having you help me create that, and navigate my options, was really helpful. I heard other authors talk about their great relationships with their agents and it made me want the same thing. Now I have that."
Amy Jo Goddard
Author of Woman on Fire (Penguin Books)
* * *
“After sending out the query Mark revised for me, I had the opportunity 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 and, a short time later I had a publishing contract with Berkley Books, which recently published my book in hardcover.
Before that, I sent my query letter out on my own to 30 or 40 agents and got a lot of rejections. I then found Mark online while I was researching agents. I was surprised that he offered so much during his initial consultation—for a very modest amount of money.
I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t worked with Mark. I can’t even imagine that now though, because of the grief and detours I experienced before we worked together. It was a time-consuming pain in the neck. If you want to get the attention of top literary agents and publishers, there is no substitute for working with an insider. You can’t beat experience. And having Mark on your side is incredibly valuable."
Daniel Cohen
Author of Single Handed (Berkley Books, a Division of Penguin Random House)
* * *
“AHHH! OMG, it happened! I got three offers of representation for my children’s picture book in the United States, even though I live abroad! When I woke up and found the first offer for representation in my email in box, I wanted to scream. But my family was still asleep so I couldn’t. 🙂
Just 8 minutes after I sent a query letter to one of my favorite agents, she replied and asked to see my manuscript. A short time later we had a lovely conversation. She was interested in representing me and sounded very positive and enthusiastic about my book. Since I also got offers from two other agents, I had to turn two of them down. One of them was upset and it felt like I was breaking her heart, but you just have to do it. I kept reminding myself that this is a good problem to have!"
Miri Leshem-Pelley
Author/Illustrator of Lon-Lon’s Big Night and many other children’s books
* * *
“Mark, after you helped me land a top literary agent, I got publishing offers from THREE well-known publishers: Amacom, Palgrave Macmillan, and McGraw-Hill (they’re publishing my book in hardcover)!
I was at Disneyworld with my family, in the Haunted Mansion, when I got the call. I went outside and listened to the voicemail message from my agent. A huge smile came over my face. It was a fantastic feeling. For a moment I felt like life was perfect and the angels were singing.
You’re filling an important need so I’ll say this to every other author reading this testimonial. Mark showed me that getting a top literary agent is a science. If you’ve written a book, or you’re in the process, you’ve already invested a lot—a lot more than money. Don’t stop yourself from getting out there to fulfill your purpose and dreams. Thank you so, so much, Mark!!!"
Dave Hamme
Author of Customer Focused Process Innovation (McGraw Hill)
* * *
“I got a book deal! After I started sending out my new query letter I had 6 literary agents request my manuscript in a short amount of time, which is awesome. Then, within 2 weeks of my agent starting to pitch my story to publishers, we had an offer. I signed a book contract yesterday. A little while later my agent told me that a TV co-producer asked for more info about my book.
By the way, the acquiring editor that fell in love with the manuscript jumped in with both feet and we just worked out our timeline for publication. She’s as passionate about getting my book out as I am, and that means everything. She read the manuscript in two days and said she couldn’t put it down. And the book is going to be published as a hardcover!"
Erika Armstrong
Author of A Chick in the Cockpit (Behler Publications)
* * *
“Thank you Mark! After you helped me get a well-known agent with Hartline Literary Agency (for my previously self-published murder mystery), he got me a deal with an American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) approved publisher. I’m hard-pressed to find anything that I had an expectation for that you didn’t deliver on.
Before I worked with you I sent out queries, but no one ever requested my complete manuscript. Comparing your new version of my query to the one I wrote before, I can see a vast difference.
I’ve been in business for 35 years so I’m not just saying this… what you’re doing is phenomenal. There are other people offering similar services, but the difference is your success. Others might say they do similar things but, if you research them, they don’t have your background or track record."
Michael Thompson
Author of The Rector
* * *
“Mark, you’re a miracle worker. Thanks to your help with my book, query letter, and synopsis… I now have a legitimate publisher who described my book as ‘Powerful Magic’ and it’s now available in bookstores and online!
I’m a lifelong academic writer who one day found myself writing inspired short stories that came to me in dreams and I began thinking of them as novels. That’s when I had a momentous conversation, an introductory coaching call with Mark Malatesta, the American creative writing coach, or rather, to be precise, a how-to-sell-yourself-and-your-work adviser. It was the best-spent money of my life apart (possibly) for my wedding ring."
Professor Ruth Finnegan FBA
Author of The Black Inked Pearl
* * *
“Within 4 minutes of sending out my query letter, a top literary called me on the phone (the #1 agent on my wish list). Less than 30 days later I had three major publishers making offers. A few days after that, I signed a deal with Random House. Mark, your query letter did that.
My agent talked about the query letter you helped me create for a long, long time. When he first called me on the phone, he hadn’t seen any of my sample chapters. It was just the query letter that did it. Communicating the right thing is so important. You are a wonderful medium helping authors find their voice and elevate their writing from just a hobby to a real business… a source from which they can both learn and earn."
Lakshmi Subramani
Author of Lights Out (Random House) Bangalore, India
* * *
“MARK, MARK, MARK!!!!!!! Holy smokes… I just signed my book deal. First, two well-known literary agents asked to represent me. One of them responded to my query letter in less than 4 minutes!!
Then THREE different publishers wanted my book and started talking about making offers. The publisher I chose is perfect for me because they produce titles for the trade, educational, and scientific markets. And they agreed to publish my book as a hardcover!!!
When I met you, Mark, it was a pivotal time. I was under the belief that I could self-publish my book with a vanity press and then seek a publisher. I didn’t know what a literary agent was, why I needed one, or how to get one. I was wandering in the dark. You guided me in the right direction and gave me a solid plan."
Mardell Hill
Author of Intestinal Health (Rowman & Littlefield)
* * *
“Boom!!! I just signed a contract with Thomas Nelson/Harper Collins for (what I’ve been told by several people) is a very large advance for a first-time author.
Before working with Mark I submitted my book to agents but didn’t get any interest. This time around I got a top NY literary agency (Fine Print Lit). What cloud is higher than 9?
I had several agencies interested before deciding to go with Fine Print. And, to be honest, all of the attention didn’t surprise me. The query letter and proposal that Mark helped me develop were incredible. Agents actually said things to me like: ‘Scott, I read your proposal and I’m just blown away by it!' Mark is extremely talented at what he does. If you have the opportunity to work with him, take advantage of it."
Scott LeRette
Author of The Unbreakable Boy (Harper Collins/Thomas Nelson)
* * *
* * *
