By Guest Blogger Michaela Hamilton, Executive Editor of Kensington Publishing

http://www.KensingtonBooks.com

Click Here to listen this interview any time after 9:00 am EST Tuesday July 26th, 2011 on the WomensRadio Network

Murder!  Mayhem!  Danger!  Action!  What makes a thriller exciting?  All of those elements—plus a certain magic called storytelling.  At Kensington we are proud to offer commercial fiction at its best.  We welcome the chance to present new authors to the suspense community.  Most of our submissions come through literary agents who understand the types of books that work best for us.  Serial-killer thrillers, political thrillers, romantic suspense, paranormal suspense, international intrigue and espionage, and cute cozy mysteries are some of the genres that we are eager to consider.

Kensington supports organizations such as Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, Malice Domestic, American Society of Journalists and Authors, and other groups devoted to helping writers realize their publishing dreams.  Conferences such as ThrillerFest and Bouchercon give writers the chance to interact with editors, agents, fans, and fellow authors.  Local writers’ conferences offer excellent opportunities as well. Through workshops, panels, pitch sessions, parties, and just-plain hanging out together, writers have a chance to make contact with professionals who share their passion for high-level suspense.

If you are a first-time author, you’ll need to polish your pitch so you can make your book sound irresistible in less than thirty seconds.  It’s useful to position your book in terms of successful books or films.  “Grisham meets Ludlum on Wall Street” was one of the best positioning lines I’ve ever heard.  I couldn’t wait to read that novel!

Think of the reader who will buy your book in a bookstore.  What other titles will that reader have on his or her bookshelf?  Sure, your writing is highly original.  But publishers need to be able to identify a market for it.  Is it hard-boiled or cozy?  Deeply psychological or more adventure-driven?  Are you writing for male or female readers, or both?  Be clear about your audience so that an editor or agent can quickly grasp your book’s potential.

At Kensington we welcome queries from authors via email.  The submissions guidelines are posted on our website, www.kensingtonbooks.com.   Your query should clearly position your book as to category and audience.  Give a one-paragraph plot overview and one-paragraph bio, including your membership in writers’ organizations, attendance of conferences, and your personal marketing plan for your book.

So bring on the serial killers and their victims; the greedy schemers and the clever clue-followers; the forensic experts, the detectives, the heroes and villains who make us turn pages with joy.  The world of book-lovers opens its doors to writers who can thrill us, page after page.

And speaking of page-turners:  here’s a contest you won’t want to miss.  Kensington will give away five free ARC’s (Advance Reader’s Copies) of SERIAL, the sensational new thriller from New York Times bestselling author John Lutz, due in bookstores in August.  To enter, send us your tweet telling us why you’d like to be among the first people to read SERIAL.  Five winners will be chosen at random.  Tweet us at @kensingtonbooks with the #serial hashtag.

By Jennifer S. Wilkov, host of the “Your Book Is Your Hook!” Show on WomensRadio

www.yourbookisyourhook.com

Click Here to listen this interview any time after 9:00 am EST Tuesday July 12th, 2011 on the WomensRadio Network

Jane von Mehren, Senior Vice President, Publisher, Trade Paperbacks for the Random House Publishing Group, and Ellen Sussman, the San Francisco Chronicle best-selling author, will appear as guests on the Your Book Is Your Hook! Show on WomensRadio.com.

Ms. von Mehren will discuss the types of books she publishes, how she finds her authors, and what constitutes a good pitch for a book. She’ll also share her perspective of digital books and the future of the book publishing industry. Ms. Sussman will talk about her latest book, FRENCH LESSSONS, and share how she got published and how she’s using her book as her hook. She’ll also discuss how she did her research for the story which takes place in Paris and share advice for writers who want to write and publish a fiction story that parallels their own lives in today’s publishing world.

NEW YORK, NY (July 12th – July 18th, 2011): Jane von Mehren, Senior Vice President, Publisher, Trade Paperbacks for the Random House Publishing Group, will talk with radio personality and host Jennifer S. Wilkov about the types of books she publishes, how she finds her authors, and advice for a new writer who wants to get published in today’s publishing industry.

Ms. von Mehren will also discuss what comprises a great pitch for a book that would engage her. She’ll also share her perspective of digital books and the future of the book publishing industry.

Ellen Sussman, the San Francisco Chronicle best-selling author, will discuss with radio personality and host Jennifer S. Wilkov how and why she wrote her latest book, FRENCH LESSONS. She’ll also talk about how she got published and how she’s using her book as her hook. Ms. Sussman will also talk about how her relationship with her agent supports her writing career, how she did her research for this book which takes place in Paris, and how writing stories similar to her personal experiences affect her and her marriage. She’ll also share advice with writers who want to write and publish a fiction story that parallels their own lives in today’s publishing world.

Host Jennifer S. Wilkov will discuss why research is the key to your writing and publishing career during her Education Corner segment during the show.

Click Here to Listen Now: http://bit.ly/pO5jXp

If you have questions about any of these interviews or the education corner topic included in the show, please put them here in this discussion thread and I’d be happy to answer them.

By Jennifer S. Wilkov, host of the “Your Book Is Your Hook!” Show on WomensRadio

The Literary Agent Matchmaker™

www.yourbookisyourhook.com

As authors and writers, we’re always learning about resources and industry tools that we can use to improve our book project performance and the enjoyment of our writing and marketing experiences.  Today let’s talk about why social media matters for writers in all genres.

In today’s world, finding an audience of readers for your book can feel like a daunting task. Picking them up through social media may feel like an even bigger one!

Although it may seem on the surface as a questionable use of your time and resources, in today’s publishing world it is an absolute must.

Agents, publishers, booksellers, speaking bureaus and readers want to know that you have a social media presence before they partner with you – whether you are writing fiction, nonfiction or a children’s book. The more people you are connected with, the more potential you have to push your book out to them and those they know.

Never underestimate the power of a network. It is a surefire way to attract interest in your platform and project.

In fact, some publishers have mandated that they will no longer publish writers who haven’t made the effort to establish and build up their social media platforms on Twitter and Facebook. Another fact: Aaron Patterson, the Publisher at Stone House Ink who was my guest on the show last week, has a policy for turning away writers unless they have a solid social media platform in place.

In a recent post last week on the digital blog FuturEbook from Europe in association with The Bookseller, Steve Emecz of MX Publishing in the UK stated that unless an author will have a blog, Twitter account and a fully fledged eCommerce site, they won’t be considering their manuscript.

Emecz says, “Well, it’s simple risk management for us in a very fast changing and risky industry. If we look at our authors that have blogs they sell more books. The ones that provide content for Twitter – sell more books. The ones that are active on Facebook – sell more books. See a pattern here? Yes, of course we have one or two inactive authors whose books are so good they sell well anyway, but that’s less than one in ten – and how on earth do you tell that up front…..” (Read more of his article on FuturEbook HERE).

In today’s publishing world with so many facets of the industry now going digital, when you have a social media presence, you have built-in communities to market your books to. They find you electronically and they can instantly purchase what you’ve written and read it electronically.

Social media matters to a bookseller too. If you’re going to do an event, who will come? How will you let them know you’ll be doing an event at their store? When you post the event, it’s a great opportunity for you to support the bookseller through your tweets and posts to your followers. When you write about it on your blog and post pictures from the event, you create links back to the bookseller to help them get the word out about their store.

For readers, social media sites are a means of connecting with the author, no matter where you may be. Readers follow authors on Twitter and read their wall posts on Facebook to keep up to date with their latest releases, book tours, blog tours, media appearances and other opportunities they may have to connect. They also read their blogs for upcoming releases, insights and other related information about their favorite characters and writer.

For speaker bureaus, it’s important for you to have a full blown platform online so that when you appear offline you can be promoted by those in the audience who may choose to tweet on Twitter and post on Facebook about your speech. When you have an account on these sites, it’s easy to tag you in their messages to further push you and your speaking platform out to their followers When you have a blog, you can further support events you’ll be speaking at by featuring videos and other posts about your appearances for your fans and followers to see. It’s also a great opportunity to showcase what you can do as a speaker at an event.

For all of these businesses, your ability to partner with them from a marketing perspective is incredibly important. The greater the presence you have in the mind of those they want to reach with their businesses, the more attractive you become as a business partner for them.

You see, your book really is your hook to so much more than just a place on the bookshelf. It has the potential to capture the hearts and minds of your readers and create a place to connect with them – virtually. It also provides wonderful opportunities to find so many ways to expand your writing career with the publishing houses who are only interested in those writers who are extending their platforms into new media to support the ever-changing book industry and the readers in the marketplace.

If you’re on the fence about whether social media should be a vital part of the marketing platform for your career, jump on the bandwagon and set up your social media stream today. You can’t start too early in your writing career and it’s never too late to start!

Jennifer’s show can be heard every week on Tuesday mornings at 9am when it is broadcast on WomensRadio.com and syndicated on Google News and Live365.com. Each show is archived for replay listeners in different time zones and countries.

For more information on this Education Corner topic and others, please refer to www.YourBookIsYourHook.com/blog for more articles and resources to help you with your books.

By Jennifer S. Wilkov, host of the “Your Book Is Your Hook!” Show on WomensRadio
www.yourbookisyourhook.com

Click Here to listen this interview any time after 9:00 am EST Tuesday June 21st, 2011 on the WomensRadio Network

Aaron Patterson, #1 Amazon Kindle best-selling author and the Publisher of Stone House Ink and StoneGate Ink publishing houses, will appear as a guest on the Your Book Is Your Hook! Show on WomensRadio.com. Mr. Patterson will discuss why he created his two publishing houses, why he publishes “clean fiction,” and what he’s looking for in the writers he chooses to publish. He’ll also share his perspectives on the importance of social media for writers and the future of the book publishing industry.

Mr. Patterson will also talk about his best-selling WJA Series as well as his new teen thriller, his first, entitled AIREL. Patterson will reveal how he’s using his books as his hook and share advice about what makes new writers successful in today’s writing and publishing marketplace.

NEW YORK, NY (June 21st – June 27th, 2011): Aaron Patterson, the Publisher of Stone House Ink and StoneGate Ink publishing houses, will talk with radio personality and host Jennifer S. Wilkov about why and when he decided to create his publishing houses and the distinct qualifications he looks for when choosing the authors he’s willing to publish. He’ll also discuss why he publishes “clean fiction” and the difference between the processes for how writers can submit to the two publishing houses.

He’ll also talk about why a marketing platform is essential for fiction writers, not just nonfiction writers, and the important role social media plays in book sales. He’ll also share his perspective of the future of the publishing industry.

In his second interview on the show, Aaron Patterson, a #1 Amazon Kindle best-selling author, will talk about his best-selling WJA series and his new teen thriller, his first, entitled AIREL. Mr. Patterson will also discuss his passion for writing and why you don’t have to be a master at grammar and spelling to write a bestseller. He’ll also share advice for new writers about what it takes to create a successful thriller book and writing career.

Host Jennifer S. Wilkov will discuss the importance of knowing the personality and purpose of a publisher during her Education Corner segment during the show.

Click Here to Listen Now: http://bit.ly/il8jvp

If you have questions about any of these interviews or the education corner topic included in the show, please put them here in this discussion thread and I’d be happy to answer them.

By Guest Blogger Aaron Patterson
#1 Amazon Kindle Best-Selling Author & the Publisher at Stone House Ink & StoneGate Ink

Click Here to listen this interview any time after 9:00 am EST Tuesday June 21st, 2011 on the WomensRadio Network

Books. eBooks. Audio Books.

I love books, or shall I say I love stories. I used to read three books a day when I was a kid. I love the stories, the danger, the exciting places I can go in a book. But what of the paper, the sound, the smell of a book? What is going to happen to books with the digital revolution?

I ask this with a smile and a heavy heart. I know where it is going and part of me is sad and the other part is excited. The sad part is because I like a book. I grew up reading them, and they are going away. Paper and ink are giving away to the eBook.

Are we really losing them? No, it is just changing. The excited part of me sees the cool ways we can now read stories. How we can have links and video and cram 3,000 books in a small device. How I can listen to an audio book on the same reader I can read a novel on. It all comes down to content. A story is a story no matter how it is consumed. I love story, so give me my story. I don’t care how it comes to me, in a sound over the radio or on an eReader or in a paper form.

With eBooks, I as an author can reach so many more people so much faster. I can build a fan base and make a living as an author, where even five years ago this would have been a crazy thought. I do not have to go to a book signing or travel across the country to sell books. I can do it all from my laptop. Through social media like Twitter and Facebook.

What does this mean for a bookstore?

They will shrink and turn into small specialty shops. The first editions, the signed copies, and the cream of the crop.  The really good books, the classics, will be in bookstores. The price will go up and most of the new books will be published only as eBooks or print on demand publishing houses.

Is this a good thing?

Think of how many trees we will save. Think of the books that are pulped every year. If the average reader knew how many books are burned or thrown away each year, it would start a riot. Think of the cost savings. eBooks are forever, do not get old or tear, do not yellow or get lost. Is this good or the end of books? Who knows? All I know is, no matter what, the real story will never die.

Aaron Patterson

Blog: www.TheWorstBookEver.blogspot.com
Twitter: Mstersmith
Facebook: Aaron Patterson
Website: www.StoneHouseInk.net

Books:
Sweet Dreams
Dream On
Airel
19 (Digital Short)
The Craigslist Killer (Digital Short)
The eBook on eBooks (Digital Short)

By Jennifer S. Wilkov, host of the “Your Book Is Your Hook!” Show on WomensRadio
The Literary Agent Matchmaker™
www.yourbookisyourhook.com

As authors and writers, we’re always learning about resources and industry tools that we can use to improve our book project performance and the enjoyment of our writing and marketing experiences.  Today let’s talk about the personality and purpose of a publisher.

Similar to literary agencies, each publisher has particular books and genres they prefer to produce and publish. Some may have several imprints under which they publish a variety of books and others may only have one publishing company.

Each publisher and editor of a publishing house or imprint chooses which books they will publish. Similar to literary agents, this is a business decision – one in which the publisher or editor is scrutinizing the project for a viable return on their significant investment of manpower and money required to produce and distribute the book.

Some publishers may publish hundreds of books a year; others may publish ten or less. Either way, what they choose to publish and their mandate for projects may stay the same or it may change. They may add imprints that are dedicated to particular genres of books to brand that imprint by its particular title selections and expand their publishing portfolio.

If you are interested in the larger publishing houses, do some research and find out which imprints represent your book’s genre in the Hachette Book Group, Simon & Schuster, Random House, Harper Collins, Harlequin and other large publishers. The more you know about the industry, the better your experience will be as an author and as a partner with your literary agent.

If you are interested in ebook publishing, get to know the options you have with each company that produces ebooks and understand what distribution they support for your book as well as the other services they provide.

If you are going to independently publish or self-publish your book, determine which company you want to work with or if you want to create a publishing company or imprint of your own.

This week’s guest, Aaron Patterson, built his own publishing companies, Stone House Ink and StoneGate Ink, to not only publish his books but to also publish those of other writers. With his two companies, he offers two opportunities for writers to be published by him. Stone House Ink is open to the public and writers and literary agents can submit projects for consideration. He also cleverly created a separate company, StoneGate Ink, that requires a referral from either an author who has been published by of one of his companies or a literary agent referral. No other writers are considered for publication by that company.

When I published my first book, Dating Your Money: How to Build a Long-Lasting Relationship with Your Money in 8 Easy Steps, I also built my own publishing house called E.S.P. Press Corp. I published four books of mine including those in the Dating Your Money series and then other people started asking me to publish their books. I made a conscious decision not to publish other people’s books and I also decided after publishing four books that I wanted someone else to publish my books too.

Being a publisher requires a keen eye for quality, attention to detail and a good business sense. It can be all-encompassing, leaving very little room for much of anything else. A high percentage of the books that are published, even by the big houses, fail to sell enough copies to recoup the initial investment made by the publisher. Making a decision to be at the helm of a ship that requires you to keep up with the industry changes and practices and also take on a great deal of risk may not be right for you. For others, it may make perfect sense.

In this day and age of consolidation and also expansion in the field of book publishing, writers have many choices about which ways they want to be published. Whether you choose to pursue a literary agent and the larger publishing companies or whether you decide that a small press or that self-publishing is better for your project, understand that whoever publishes your book will become a business partner. Get to know more about the company you publish with and read their contract completely. Discuss the contract with an intellectual property attorney and ask him or her to read the publishing contract with you. You also can use the resources to do this that may be provided by your membership in the National Writers Union, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, and several other writers’ organizations who may offer a contract review service.

Nowadays, there are plenty of stories about publishers who have gone bankrupt and others who have promised to publish books that never make it to the shelf. Some of my past guests on my show have talked about the repercussions of experiences like these during their interviews and shared what they had to do to resurrect and reclaim their books.

Do your homework first and learn all that you can about a publisher before you work with them. Big or small, search the Internet and look up their catalog of books published. See if there are any industry news stories you’d want to be aware of regarding that publisher so you can discuss these with your agent or with the publisher directly.

Because your book is your hook, you want to protect your project and partner with the right publisher for it. In the end, whether you have a literary agent or not, it is you who partners with the publishing house and editor with your work. So be a wise business professional and understand the fine print, purpose and industry position of prospective partners before you sign away your project to just any publisher.

Jennifer’s show can be heard every week on Tuesday mornings at 9am when it is broadcast on WomensRadio.com and syndicated on Google News and Live365.com. Each show is archived for replay listeners in different time zones and countries.

For more information on this Education Corner topic and others, please refer to www.YourBookIsYourHook.com/blog for more articles and resources to help you with your books.

By Guest Blogger John Kilcullen
Creator & Original Publisher of the …For Dummies Books, Executive Chairman of Fast Pencil & CEO of Brand Revolution LLC

Click Here to listen this interview any time after 9:00 am EST Tuesday June 14th, 2011 on the WomensRadio Network

I enjoy talking about the book biz.  Over the course of 17 summers I shared a ton of stories and publishing strategies in my lectures at the Stanford Professional Publishing Course. I got as much out of it as I put into it.

Part of the fun was to intellectually challenge participants:  Why not dare to be different? Why not lead instead of follow?

The questions (for publishers and authors) continued:  Do you have a carpe diem culture or an analysis-paralysis operating philosophy? Do you follow a “done is better than perfect” credo? Are you constantly experimenting and tinkering? Are you spending enough time living inside the hearts and heads of your customers and qualified prospects?

Winding down:  Are you in the products business or in the service business? Is customer service an obsession or a necessary evil? Are you converting nameless, faceless book buyers into customers you know a lot about? Is the publication of the book the celebratory end of the process or the beginning of a lifelong relationship with customers?

At times, there was radio silence. Often, we engaged in a spirited discussion about this crazy business we call publishing.

Today, I feel like I did when I was at the Frankfurt Book Fair when the wall was coming down …. Some people were clinging to the past as if they were holding on to the railings of the Titanic. Others bravely supported the winds of change. Those same feelings were evident last month when I walked the aisles of Book Expo America.

My advice to today’s aspiring authors and to publishing professionals alike:  If you can’t predict the future, invent it! Embrace ambiguity. Make change your friend. Build your digital/mobile/social DNA. Be open to new partnerships. Build a direct to consumer customer data base. Mine it regularly.

Apple’s famous advertising campaign summed it up best:  ”Think Different.” I would add … “Act Differently, too!”

Almost 20 years ago I defied conventional wisdom and published the first For Dummies book. Time and time again, we would sign, launch and market another bestselling title by first time authors, great “explainers” and sometimes even celebrities. Together, for 10 consecutive years, we created a dominant, how-to brand supported by a great authorial-editorial-marketing services team. I understand – and implemented – a consistent brand architecture driving brand preference (measured in repeat foot traffic and recurring revenue streams). Those early branding and publishing decisions continue to deliver value to this day.

Most importantly, we understood that our best brand ambassadors (now numbering 250 million) were our customers. Treat them right and they will reward you with their purchases and their evangelism … a powerful combination.

Let me know of your branding and serial success stories. Ping me at johnkilcullen@yahoo.com.  If you are an aspiring author with any question, don’t hesitate to ping me as well.

Carpe diem!

By Jennifer S. Wilkov, host of the “Your Book Is Your Hook!” Show on WomensRadio
The Literary Agent Matchmaker™
www.yourbookisyourhook.com

As authors and writers, we’re always learning about resources and industry tools that we can use to improve our book project performance and the enjoyment of our writing and marketing experiences.  Today let’s talk about book covers and brand identity.

Even though the saying goes, you can’t judge a book by its cover, when you establish a unique look for your book’s cover it can actually become your hook!

For years, designers and publishers have gone for looks that will be consistent with the book’s content and encourage interest in the book itself.

There’s a whole lot of “real estate” on a book cover so think twice about how you’lll use this asset wisely.

A book cover is comprised of the front cover, the back cover and the spine. You may be thinking, “Jennifer, this is elementary!” And you’d be right, but these components deserve careful consideration, especially in the current day and age of publishing.

For hardcovers and paperbacks, the attraction starts with the front cover OR spine. If a book is put on the shelf with its spine facing out, you are limited to this itsy, bitsy amount of space to make a first impression on the buyer and reader. If you are fortunate to have your book face out on the shelf, then the front cover is your ticket to attracting the reader’s eye.

For the same book, if it is an ebook or if it is included in an online booksellers’ inventory, the front cover is your key to success since this is what the browsing reader who is looking for a great book will see.

The back cover, while effective in the physical bookseller where the consumer can pick up the book and turn it over, loses its value when it comes to the electronic world we live in.
Now I’m not saying that the back cover of your book is worthless. Hardly! The copy that you would use on your back cover – the text – is very valuable indeed. This is where you may include a synopsis, praise or bullet points about the contents of the book and story inside.

Book covers tend to house the brand identity of a writer’s work. Book brands that have multiple authors use book cover design to distinguish their books from others while keeping their presentation consistent to the consumer.

Today’s guest, John Kilcullen, was one of the key people behind the effective branding strategy of the …For Dummies books. While these books have different authors, the book brand itself is easily identifiable by its bright yellow color and its title on the chalkboard cover image. The icon of the Dummies guy is also just that – a recognizable icon that conjures up the brand identity of the …For Dummies books.

Other books like the …For Dummies books including The Complete Idiot’s Guide to… books which use orange, white and blue colors on their covers and which are published by Alpha and the …An Hour A Day social media  and Internet-oriented books published by Sybex which have all developed a consistent, repeated design for their books that is recognizable to the purchaser as a reliable resource.

The funny thing about consistency in the look of your books is that this subtly conveys to the reader that if they enjoyed reading a previous book in the same series, they can be assured that the next one they buy will be just as good and provide a similar structure.

Now if you’re thinking this type of book cover and brand identity is only for nonfiction how-to books like these – think again.

Fiction books in a series and that are by a particular author have clear brand identities too. Oftentimes, the book covers will include a font type for the name of the author and the book title in certain positions so that each cover reflects the “brand” for that author. Take authors like James Patterson, David Baldacci, Patricia Cornwell, Clive Cussler and John Grisham. While the pictures on their book covers differ from book to book to reflect the image relevant to the story inside, the position of the book title and their names as authors of the books appear in the same places so as to provide a brand identity.

This also occurs in romance novels and their popular authors like Debbie Macomber, Nora Roberts, Robyn Carr, Jude Deveraux, Linda Howard and Julie Garwood. In Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove series, the pictures and the colors of each book may be different; however, it’s easy to distinguish these books and the series by Debbie’s name which appears prominently and in the same font on each book.

For you children’s authors, keep this strategy in mind for your books too! Dr. Seuss had his name prominently appear in the same font type and branding on all of his books that were produced with bright book covers and characters of all shapes and sizes. When his name appears on the book, parents know they can rely on a great reading experience for their young ones.

When you think about your books and how and where they will appear to a reader – whether it’s on the shelf of a physical bookseller, online at an Internet website or in an ereader catalogue, or at the library in your local city – be cognizant that your book cover can also be an important hook for your book!

Jennifer’s show can be heard every week on Tuesday mornings at 9am when it is broadcast on WomensRadio.com and syndicated on Google News and Live365.com. Each show is archived for replay listeners in different time zones and countries.

For more information on this Education Corner topic and others, please refer to www.YourBookIsYourHook.com/blog for more articles and resources to help you with your books.

By Guest Blogger Jessica Faust
Literary Agent & Owner of BookEnds Literary Agency
www.bookends-inc.com

Click Here to listen this interview any time after 9:00 am EST Tuesday June 7th, 2011 on the WomensRadio Network

1. Not following an agent’s rules exactly will get you rejected.

Not true. Agents have a list of guidelines they’d like writers to follow when querying because it makes our lives easier and while we prefer you call us by the correct name, include the title of your book, or include your phone number, forgetting any of that will not result in an instant rejection. What will get you rejected is not exciting the agent enough about your work.

2. Agents never take risks.

Not true. Each and every submission we send out, each and every offer of representation we make is a risk. Agents take risks all the time, but educated and calculated risks. I can’t offer representation on a book I don’t understand well enough to sell, but there have been plenty of times I’ve offered on something I loved, but didn’t necessarily feel 100% confident I’d find a market for.

3. Agents blacklist authors and spread the news to other agents far and wide.

Not true. Frankly, if we’re talking or complaining about anyone it’s editors [wink]. Rarely, if ever, do we sit around together and share query horror stories.

4. Getting an agent is the hard part.

Wrong. Getting an agent is the easy part. The real hard part isn’t even finding a publisher. The hard part? Finding readers and keeping them.

5. Agents have all the power.

Really, really not true. You might think we do because when querying we frequently say no, but the truth is that you have all the power. Authors provide us with our product and without you we would have nothing. If you think we have all the power you should sit on our side of the desk when a call of representation is offered and the author is talking with other agents. Now who has the power?

6. If you get your own deal, you don’t need an agent.

I think this depends on you. A lot of people talk these days about how authors can negotiate their own contracts and certainly they can and I do believe that authors should spend more time learning about contracts, but, the question is, how comfortable are you doing that? My job is to negotiate and I’m pretty good at it. When it comes to your own career are you willing to push and fight as hard as you need to or is there a possibility the fear of angering editors might make you back off?

7. “Top Tier” Agents are always better.

This one confuses me because I never understand who this top tier is. The best agent is the one who is smart, tough, respected on all sides, honest, and works for you in a way that works for you. An agent’s “tier” doesn’t matter if the two of you can’t see eye to eye on most things.

8. With e-selfpublishing, agents will soon be extinct.

Maybe, but I doubt it. The publishing landscape is changing in new and exciting ways and rather than look at it as a time when everything is being torn down, I like to look at it as a time of new opportunity for everyone.

9. Agents won’t consider you unless you’ve been published.

Not true. In the past 9 months I’ve taken on three new authors, none are previously published.

10. An agent’s job is to do whatever the author says.

Not true. An agent’s job is to partner with the author to build a successful career and this sometimes means telling the author “no.”

By Guest Blogger Bree Ogden, Literary Agent at Martin Literary Management
http://www.martinliterarymanagement.com
http://agentbree.wordpress.com

Click Here to listen this interview any time after 9:00 am EST Tuesday February 22^nd, 2011 on the WomensRadio Network

So you’ve landed an agent! Whew. Work’s done. Time to sit back with your Mojito and let the agent take over the reins. ::Bubble:: POP! Let’s talk reality.

True: your agent is there to get you published (hopefully). True: your agent is there to give you sound advice on your current manuscript and future works-in-progress. True: your agent is there to hold your hand when you are lost in this crazy world called publishing. False: (you knew it was coming) your agent cannot be your social persona. And unfortunately, a negative social persona can make you a publishing pariah.

As authors and potential authors, you have the world waiting to hear from you via the Internet. Twitter feeds, Facebook pages (both fan pages and personal pages), blogs, Tumblr, Web sites, even just a simple Google search could have someone reading every bit of material about you at the click of a button.

Hint: Use this to your advantage. Second hint: It’s harder than it seems. While it’s just plain common sense not to post naughty pictures of yourself on the Web, it might not be as intuitive to watch what you say. For example: Publisher X just released a book about reality television star Y, but Publisher X won’t give your “rousing book on the problem in Country Z” a second glance. So naturally you are angry and you post on Twitter: “Publisher X only cares about money and they produce total crap. I cannot believe they release this kind of trash.”

Hmmm…

Unfortunately for you, Publisher X was actually looking at your manuscript as you wrote those angry words, and you just blew it.

You might think you are invisible on the Web. If you can’t see them, they can’t see you, right? Wrong. With tools such as Google Alerts, anyone can see anything posted about them on the Internet. And it will come back to bite you. I promise.

For an agent, the client who breaches etiquette over the Internet is terrifying. They are a loose cannon and it’s hard for an agent to trust them on their own. By saying inappropriate things over Twitter/Facebook/blogs etc, they not only ruin their own reputation and chances of getting published, but they hurt their agent’s reputation as well.

True story time: An editor once told me regarding Twitter, “Once, I clicked through and saw it was your standard, unpublished (but agented) author—complaining about how long it took editors to consider her manuscript and how this would be ‘unacceptable’ in any other industry and what a bunch of bums editors were. I was considering her manuscript at the time.”

This Internet business is hard work. But worth it if you play your cards right.