Not for nothing, but I think I'm getting myself a copy of this book. You?
5 comments:
Chazz
said...
WR, have you read http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/? He comes across as kind of cranky, but he's got some interesting things to say about agents in particular. Like they slow writers down, often don't sell books and they often get in the way of said sales. He says in his Sacred Cows of Publishing posts that agents are employees and should be treated as such (useful for negotiation purposes but not our masters.)
It's a very thought-provoking read that seems to bridge the gap between theory and practice. When agents get in the way, maybe it is time to consider turning the whole premise of the relationship around. The dude's published 90 books so I'm paying attention.
I agree in principle that writers should view agents as employees, and not get caught up in all this agent-worshipping, blagentry, ass-kissing nonsense. But unlike in the traditional workforce, there are 100, 1000, or 10000 would-be "bosses" for every "employee." Kind of turns the tables on the traditional roles.
For every one dude who finds success without an agent, there are many more who epically fail without an agent. Agent-less success is the exception. And besides, agents today are what editors were 50, 60 years ago. You send a manuscript directly to an editor these days, he/she is not actually going to edit it. They all expect the agent to have done it.
What can be done about it? Maybe my daughter will marry an editor's son. I guess in that case I could cut out the middleman. Failing that, I will suck it up like everyone else who doesn't like the odds of going it alone.
I would be terrible as my own agent. I have no capacity for self-promotion or selling. (Now, Dennis the Vizsla, on the other hand, is a notorious self-promoter ...)
5 comments:
WR, have you read http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/? He comes across as kind of cranky, but he's got some interesting things to say about agents in particular. Like they slow writers down, often don't sell books and they often get in the way of said sales. He says in his Sacred Cows of Publishing posts that agents are employees and should be treated as such (useful for negotiation purposes but not our masters.)
It's a very thought-provoking read that seems to bridge the gap between theory and practice. When agents get in the way, maybe it is time to consider turning the whole premise of the relationship around. The dude's published 90 books so I'm paying attention.
I agree in principle that writers should view agents as employees, and not get caught up in all this agent-worshipping, blagentry, ass-kissing nonsense. But unlike in the traditional workforce, there are 100, 1000, or 10000 would-be "bosses" for every "employee." Kind of turns the tables on the traditional roles.
For every one dude who finds success without an agent, there are many more who epically fail without an agent. Agent-less success is the exception. And besides, agents today are what editors were 50, 60 years ago. You send a manuscript directly to an editor these days, he/she is not actually going to edit it. They all expect the agent to have done it.
What can be done about it? Maybe my daughter will marry an editor's son. I guess in that case I could cut out the middleman. Failing that, I will suck it up like everyone else who doesn't like the odds of going it alone.
meh, meh, meh
carpe diem, says i... i mean, U wont reject U!
Houghton Mifflin shamelessly pitches that book on their website under "submissions". Be my on agent? Right.
I would be terrible as my own agent. I have no capacity for self-promotion or selling. (Now, Dennis the Vizsla, on the other hand, is a notorious self-promoter ...)
Post a Comment