How To Be Your Own Literary Agent: An Insider's Guide to Getting Your Book Published – Navigate Contracts and Publicity with Practical Wisdom

by Richard Curtis

How to Be Your Own Literary Agent takes the mystery out of book publishing for any writer, published or not. Richard Curtis -- a top literary agent for more than thirty years -- provides a comprehensive practical overview of the publishing process, from submissions to contract negotiations to subsidiary rights to marketing, publicity, and beyond. He also gives away trade secrets and invaluable wisdom -- candid advice that can be found nowhere else. Now completely revised and expanded, How to Be Your Own Literary Agent is essential reading for all writers.

* Big publishers, small publishers, self-publishers, how to keep up in a rapidly changing business * The new breed of busy literary how to find them and know what they're looking for * What the electronic revolution means to you, and how to take advantage of it * How to know your "publishing" rights and negotiate effectively * How to have a say in your book's design, jacket, and promotion * How book chains and superstores have altered publishing -- and what that means for you

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Reference, Business

297 pages, Paperback

First published February 18, 1983

Reviews

[Hannah Laudermilch · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5.

Well now I know that I don't want to be my own literary agent. Outdated, but still provided lots of helpful info and terminology

[Stephanie Katz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe the best money I’ve ever spent on a book. It is a crash course in the many facets and nuances of negotiating publishing contracts. Very well explained with practical, easy to understand examples that inform an author of what they’re really signing when they sign a book deal. Every wanna be author whether agents or not should read this and know what they’re signing!

[Saritza · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite reference books so when I saw that it was available in both ebook and print, I purchased the ebook to accompany my rather tattered and marked up print edition. Whenever I'm unsure about an obscure clause in a publishing contract, I first look to Mr. Curtis. It's a great resource to have whether you've been a literary agent for 20+ years like Mr. Curtis or new to the industry on either side of the bargaining table.

[Nora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, this is a MASSIVELY USEFUL BOOK, both as an instructional and as a reference. A definite must-read for anyone who aims to publish, regardless of whether you'll be doing the agenting work yourself. Tons of detailed, vital information.

[Shaun Richman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Largely geared towards writers of fiction, and hopelessly out of date in its treatment of e-mail and paper(!) manuscripts. Still, some solid info on book contracts, royalties, advances and a myriad of technical considerations that would not occur to an unpublished author.

[Anna Tan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It has really useful stuff, but it's also about 15 years out of date.
So: good primer if you have no clue about the industry at all
But: you'll still need to top up your knowledge with more current sources.

[Mary Davidsaver · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book and its info valuable. It's dated and I will continue to research more up-to-date material. It still presents a window into what publishing used to be like. By publishing, I mean getting a book out with one of the big 5 publishers. Seeing what kinds of hoops agents and writers had to jump through in order to protect themselves when negotiating complicated contracts made me appreciate the life of an indie author. It's nice to have a present day atmosphere of greater flexibility and freedom.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a lot of good information despite the fact that it was written when computers were still in their infancy. Reference to the ability of future machines that may possibly be able to hold your entire manuscript are telling. Not to mention the prevalent assumption that the reader is working on a typewriter. However, contract points and when and when not to use an agent are very pertinent today.

[Lancelot Schaubert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will be using this for contract negotiation class for creative arts academy. Happy to see it still holds up even with all the industry and tech changes. Legal precedent is, after all, not much changed: publishers still try to exploit authors and their IP at every turn as do most orgs who focus on management and not the power of making the possible actual

If you create, get a copy

[Yune · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gets you in the right headspace for examining literary contracts and exactly what the publisher/editor/agent/author relationship entails. May be best to read if you actually have a contract of interest in hand; I wasn't quite up to following all the details of, say, secondary rights.

[Daniel]

One very important function of the agent is to educate the client in the often arcane ways of the publishing world. What follows, then, is a primer to give you an idea of what to expect after you've negotiated yourself a good deal.

[Joanna]

recommended by a teacher-author, with the caveat: never be your own agent.

[Survina · Rating 3 out of 5]

He's a good writer - one idea per chapter

[Jonathan Peto · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read on this topic. It got me thinking. I decided not to give it five stars, because this book did not seem to be the last word.