| As I travel the country speaking to writer's | | | | the assistance of an agent, but the truth is |
| groups in workshops and seminars, I'm struck | | | | that the big guys are constantly looking for |
| by the amount of misinformation that is | | | | product. If your book, blog, or magazine |
| floating around. Having spent 25-years | | | | article, attracts the attention of an editor |
| working for two of the largest publishers in | | | | or publisher, then you can save the 15% and |
| the world, I thought it would be important to | | | | sign without an agent. You do not have to |
| set the record straight and write about three | | | | have an agent to sign a publishing contract |
| of the most common myths. | | | | with a big company. But you're going to need |
| | | | plenty of patience, a whole bunch of |
| It's not about who published your book, but | | | | perseverance, and lots of marketplace |
| will it make money | | | | knowledge to make that happen, but it can |
| | | | happen without an agent. |
| First, there seems to be this impression that | | | | |
| if an author publishes with a print-on-demand | | | | The contract is only the beginning of your |
| company - or god forbid self-publish their | | | | work |
| own manuscript - the big publishers will | | | | |
| never be interested in their book. This is | | | | Third, most authors that I encounter through |
| wrong! The fact is that the biggest companies | | | | my consulting have the feeling that once they |
| in the world are focused on making money. If | | | | sign that big time publishing contract, they |
| they discover a title they feel has potential | | | | will be taken care of. In fact, this is the |
| to gain widespread distribution and sell lots | | | | biggest wrong of all! The New York publishers |
| of copies, they don't care who published it, | | | | are in the business of making money; if you |
| they want it. The big publishers rarely look | | | | can help them, terrific, but if not, you are |
| at who published what, for them, it's about | | | | as expendable as the next author. In fact |
| dollars and if they feel your writing has the | | | | once you sign a contract, your work is just |
| potential, they'll publish it. | | | | starting. You must help your publisher market |
| | | | your book and that could many a number of |
| An agent is not required | | | | things. So the contract is not the end, but |
| | | | the beginning. Your publisher is not in the |
| Second, writers have the impression they | | | | business of taking care of authors. |
| absolutely have to have an agent to attract | | | | |
| the attention of a big New York publisher. | | | | The next time you hear something foolish at |
| Again, this is wrong! If you have a book and | | | | your writer's group meeting, or conference, |
| a voice and a platform as an author, and a | | | | send me an email. I answer them all |
| big company sees your potential, they will | | | | personally and I'll be more than happy to |
| come to you without the need of an agent. | | | | pass along my 25-years of New York experience |
| Now, clearly more than 90% of the books the | | | | and give you the facts. |
| New York companies publish were bought with | | | | |