Author 101: Bestselling Secrets from Top Agents (Paperback)

~ (Author), (Author), Mark Steisel (Author) "I'M BASICALLY LIKE a guy in a stream up in Alaska panning for gold..." (more)
Key Phrases: literary agency business, publishing attorneys, packaging fee, Platform Builder, Canon of Ethics, Writer's Digest (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

You're passionate about your book. You're determined to get it published, but you just can't seem to do it by yourself. You need an ally. You need a champion. You need an agent.
Enter Rick Frishman and Robyn Freedman Spizman, with this second volume in the AUTHOR 101 series. In Bestselling Secrets from Top Agents, writing gurus Rick and Robyn reveal what makes a good agent, what a good agent will and wonít do for you, and how to find the right type of agent - not just for your first book, but for your entire career.
"If you want to become a published author, the first step is buying Robyn and Rick's book. Loaded with practical, easy-to-follow insider advice, this book shows readers how to write a winning book proposal. Highly recommended!" --Lloyd J. Jassin, publishing attorney and author
"Bottom line: this is the volume I recommend to my clients" --Don Gastwirth, literary agent
"I've been in the book writing, publishing, and promoting business more than thirty-five years, so take it from me. Don't think about becoming an author without reading the Author 101 series. These books are well-researched, helpful, and will save you endless time, money, and energy." --Dan Poynter, The Self-Publishing Manual, ParaPublishing.com

About the Author

Rick Frishman is president of Planned Television Arts and one of the most powerful publicists in the media industry, working with authors such as Arnold Palmer, Alan Dershowitz, and Henry Kissinger. Also executive vice president at Ruder Finn, this top-notch publicist has worked with the field's top agents, editors, and publishers, including Simon and Schuster, Random House, Harper Collins, Pocket Books, Penguin Putnam, and Hyperion Books. Plus, he tours the country hosting seminars on how to help writers sell their books. Starting in 2006, he joins coauthor Spizman to travel the country under the banner of Author 101 University (author101.com). Frishman is also the coauthor of Networking Magic, Guerrilla Publicity, and Guerrilla Marketing for Writers (published by Writer's Digest Books). Visit rickfrishman.com for his Million Dollar Rolodex.
Robyn Freedman Spizman is no stranger to success. As an award-winning author, she has written dozens of inspirational and educational nonfiction books during her accomplished career, including Make It Memorable, When Words Matter Most, GIFTionary, and The Thank You Book. She also coauthored the Women for Hire series (with Tory Johnson) and this year debuted her first work of fiction for young readers, titled Secret Agent (with Mark Johnston). As a seasoned media personality and consumer advocate for more than twenty-three years, she has appeared repeatedly on NBC's Today, CNN, and is featured regularly on the NBC Atlanta affiliate WXIA and Star 94. A sought-after speaker on book-writing and motivational topics, Spizman is considered one of the most dynamic how-to experts in the country. In addition to her writing, reporting, and speaking, she is also the cofounder of The Spizman Agency, a highly successful public relations firm that specializes in experts and book publicity. Visit robynspizman.com for more information.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Adams Media (November 29, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593374178
• ISBN-13: 978-1593374174
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #328,207 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learn the Drill to Snag An Agent, April 23, 2006

By	W. Terry Whalin "Publisher/ Editor / Writer" (Scottsdale, Arizona) - See all my reviews

In today's economic climate, if you want to publish books, almost every writer needs a literary agent. Frishman and Spizman have launched a series of how-to books with the brand name Author 101. Each book looks almost identical except for the color and the information between the covers. This book on agents is excellent.

For many years, each of these authors have been involved in publishing yet they expand their experience and have interviewed many top agents. This book is perfect for anyone who wants to learn more about the publishing industry, how the agenting process works and how to locate the best agent for you and your writing.

I particularly liked the chapter called Reports from the Trenches where agents subscribed a submission and what caught their attention. As George Greenfield of Creative Well wrote, "When you have absolute belief in a project, you must sometimes walk through walls of cool rejection before you feel the warm glow of success."

Another well-done chapter captures the top 25 dislikes of agents. "Writers can turn off agents in lots of ways, such as when they lack commitment, submit inquiries without doing their homework, and are not willing to promote their books." This book makes a solid addition to the available information on agents.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every Aspiring Author Should Read This Book, March 7, 2006

By	Ramesh Deonaraine "Author of Power Quotes to ... (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Every aspiring author should read this book very carefully. It is highly informative and well articulated. The authors have obviously thought deeply about the subject, and they write with a gracious tone that lets you know of the challenges without making you feel put down.

This book empowers you with the right perceptions and will help you immensely to give proper focus to your efforts. It will help you to avoid wasting much time and other resources on misguided hopes, and it is up-to-date, letting you know of current practices, for example, the great importance of having a platform. I have found it to be really useful. An excellent book!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rick Frishman and Robyn Freedman Spizman Answer!, May 3, 2009

By	Claudia Broome "Claudia Broome SAHM" (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

As always, Rick Frishman and Robyn Freedman Spizman have the answers. They are concise and direct in the ways that they present the answers to the questions that potential authors don't know enough to ask. With all of their success and knowledge, Rick Frishman and Robyn Freedman Spizman don't forget the new boy on the block. I find it so refreshing to realize that the "big wigs" act on their profession to want to help new authors. I learned so much from this book and I recommend it to anyone who is thinking about becoming a published author.