Literary Agents: What They Do, How They Do It, and How to Find and Work with the Right One for You, Revised and Expanded (Paperback)

~ (Author) "A writer's Digest cartoon shows a room full of bullet holes..." (more)
Key Phrases: nonfiction proposal, mailing bag, working marriage, New York, San Francisco, Publishers Weekly (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

"Chock-full of delicious, wise, witty, and often laugh-out-loud quotes about the writer's life, the editor's life, the agent's life.... It's absolutely the last word on literary agents." —Richard Curtis, Richard Curtis Associates

"Snappy, nuts-and-bolts guide to the world of literary agents, with lots of practical tips." —Library Journal

"Larsen's useful guide provides needed understanding of the world of literary agents."—Booklist

In this revised and expanded edition of his acclaimed guide, veteran literary agent Michael Larsen gives you an illuminating, insider's look into the world of literary agents. Here are all the facts you need to find and work with the one that can launch your writing career, including:

• How to contact an agent
• Why agents are so important in today's publishing world
• How agents transform writers into authors
• What you can do to make yourself irresistible to agents and publishers
• How agents make money for authors
• How to decipher agency agreements and book contracts
• When it's time to change agents—and how to do it

From the Publisher

Using a snappy straightforward style the author, co-founder of San Francisco's oldest literary agency, answers all of the questions beginning writers have about what agents do and how to work with them. For each topic Larsen provides hands-on information regarding the practical concerns of writers--how to contact an agent, format proposals, understand agency agreements and book contracts, etc. This updated edition includes the latest trends in writing, publishing and agenting that writers need to know in order to get their books published successfully.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; Rev Exp Su edition (July 30, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 047113046X
• ISBN-13: 978-0471130468
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #585,256 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

63 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "Must Read" for All Unpublished Writers Looking for Agents, September 27, 1999

By	Robert A. Jacques (Bainbridge Island, WA USA) - See all my reviews

An unpublished writer myself, I wish I'd read Michael Larson's book before trying to find an agent for my book! It would've saved me much postage, time, and frustration, and it would've saved the literary agents to whom I wrote a lot of time and frustration, as well. Using healthy dollops of humor and common sense, Mr. Larsen takes the reader through every phase of establishing a relationship with a literary agent, clearly explaining not only what an agent does, but WHY the agent does it. He makes sense out of the publishing jungle for the first-time writer, and he helps novices like me understand that, with talent and perseverance, getting an agent isn't a crapshoot. Mr. Larsen's chapters on how (and how NOT) to write a query letter, how to prepare a manuscript for an agent, and how to maintain a good working relationship with an agent are outstanding, as is his excellent bibliography. This book belongs in every wanna-be published author's library!

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Larsen, A Literary Agent's Literary Agent, May 11, 1999

By	Jon Russell (Silver Spring, Maryland USA) - See all my reviews

Our agency wouldn't be in business if it weren't for the sage and practical advice we've gleaned from Larsen's work in this book and his work in the publishing industry. We specifically recommend that all prospective clients read Larsen's book BEFORE they talk to us. This is a MUST read if you are considering an agent and worthwhile reading even if you are considering going it alone without an agent.

An excellent section in the book focuses on the daunting tasks of the publisher's editor; we like our clients to especially understand this section, to understand WHY the publishing process can be so frustratingly slow, to help mitigate a client's anxiety and impatience.

Another excellent section lists the litany of great authors who persisted after rejection upon yet dozens if not hundreds of more rejections until they finally sold their book. Larsen's best advice, "Failure is the path of least persistence." We use his quote at least once a week.

31 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Mostly fluff that common sense can figure out., September 26, 2001

By	Jason Hawkes "[e-mail]" (Clarence, NY United States) - See all my reviews

Lots of talk about what annoys agents. If you are smart enough to not call your prospective agent 5 times a day, and mentally healthy enough not to blow up at the slightest criticism, then you know the contents of this book. You are better off buying "2001 Guide to Literary Agents" and "2002-2003 Writer's Guide to Book Editors, Publishers, and Literary Agents." If you buy those two books, you'll get as much distilled info about lit agents as you need WHILE AT THE SAME TIME getting the contact information you need.