There are tons of books out there -- titles on every topic under the sun.
What do their authors have in common? Most of them need a literary agent to
help market their ideas -- an agent like Beverley Slopen.
"We publish a diverse list of internationally published authors, from anthropology
to fiction to history to true crime and self-help. I represent a general list
of fiction and non-fiction books, and that diversity keeps the work interesting."
In addition to working as an agent, Slopen also writes about the book publishing
industry in journals such as Publishers Weekly. She also wrote a column called
BookWorld, which ran in a major paper for 15 years.
It's good that Slopen chose to write about the book publishing industry
because it can be a confusing world. Literary agents aren't required to have
any formal training, so authors can be seduced into using agents who have
no experience or who are looking for a quick buck. These frauds are called
business card agents, and they do a disservice to reputable agents.
"You can't let those kinds of people get you down," says Wendy Keller,
a literary agent in Pasadena, California.
Keller says that through hard work, literary agents can make a good, honest
living. "The problem is most people don't really understand what we do.
"The glamorized version is that we sit around all day reading Shakespeare,"
says Keller. "The reality is, we sell, sell, sell, in a highly competitive
dog-eat-dog world."
Keller represents self-help books, cookbooks, computer and
consumer references and other adult non-fiction titles. It's what interests
her. "You should never try to sell something you don't believe in. You can
pick up how to judge books, but you need to read what's being published in
areas that interest you."
Keller enjoys being able to help get books out the door. "The very idea
that I help develop and disseminate ideas is intriguing. The most difficult
thing is keeping up with the changing role of publishing in the spectrum of
the media."
Ric Bollinger is also concerned about the changing nature of the publishing
industry, but would encourage others to try the trade. "To anyone interested
in reading and sales, I'd recommend this job. But they have to realize that
they'd most likely begin as an apprentice, possibly for no compensation."
But once an agent has paid his dues, the rewards can be great. "We're constantly
reading good books, and it's thrilling to sell a first-time author's work."
Bollinger represents all types of books, but looks especially hard for
manuscripts that have motion picture potential. He's also looking for those
that could become mass-produced paperbacks with foreign rights potential.
He represents books that have national and international appeal.
New York City is still known as the center of the publishing universe,
but that's beginning to change. With the advent of e-mail and other communication
devices, literary agents no longer have to live in a traditional American
publishing center. "It's a great business and fortunately, one no longer must
reside in New York to be a part of it," says Bollinger.