2013 Guide to Literary Agents

What I did not realize about book publishing, esp. coffee table photo books is that taking the images, learning the software, designing the book and having the money to print it is only 10 percent of the job.90 percent has to go into marketing and that is where these guys come in. It is a very competitive field and these agents get 100's of query letters a week.More and more people get their media from iPads, Kindle and Nook. Reading and publishing is on the decline. Whatever proposal for a book you have, make sure it is polished (free of poor grammer) and is exactly what you wish to say. Finding the right agent is key, esp. their personalities. Jack London had 200 rejection slips for "Call of the Wild" which he used for wallpaper in his log cabin. One must have a strong constitution for rejection when entering this market!Good luck.

I'm in the process of marketing a novel, so having this information is essential. My only complaint is that the index in the back that categorizes agents by genre, missed a few in "Science Fiction" because the body of text under the individual references in the main portion of the book used the term "Sci-Fi" or simply "science," when listed within the types of fiction that a particular agency might handle. Initially, that caused me to overlook some possible contacts.The genre listing is otherwise very helpful in paring down the large number of agencies into a manageable group, members of which are likely to be interested in an author's work.

I like this book very much. (Of course, I will LOVE it if/when I've been published as a result of the info.) It is well organized and easy to use. BUT I would like it even better if the agents were grouped by category. What I did was copy the category list in the back of the book and then go through and highlight the agents in the category I was interested in. I suspect others have done the same thing. It would be easier if the publisher did it and I'm sure would please everyone. It would make a lot of sense.

This book is a must-have for any writer who is looking for agent representation. It has hundreds of agents listed from throughout the world. In addition, it describes what type of material each agent is interested in receiving and specific instructions on how to submit, and whether agents are looking for new, unpublished writers, how they find their clients, and what percentage of their clients are unpublished. This information helps a great deal when focusing your search for an agent. The first third of the book gives specific insight into the industry of book publishing and is valuable reading. The only drawback, which is also a plus, is that to be on top of things, you need to buy the book each year, because of all the new agents that are added -- many of which are looking for new clients.

This book has definitely helped me narrow my search in looking for an agent I can partner with to get my novel published. It did that through a "Literary Agents Speciality Index" near the end of the book and very detailed descriptions of literary agencies and the works they represent. The book also marries well with "Writer's Market" and provides additional clues on how to make winning queries. Now all I need is a magic wand to actually find an agent interested in my work. This book comes close, but there is still some work for "me" to do.

Chuck Sambuchino's guide is very informative. His explanations are complete and very easy to understand even for those with minimal experience with publishing. The list of literary agents is extensive. The fact that the author has checked these agents is reassuring to the new author. I do wish he had included more examples for the novice author who does not have many writing accolades as they are just beginning their journey. All in all, this 2013 guide would be an asset for anyone trying to break in to the world of writing and publishing.

Over all good information and seens to be current. As for the agents, it does not mention if a agent wants just a query letter. Or a query letter and the first 10 pages. Or a quwery letter and the first five chapters. So each agent has to be looked up on the internet to find out their requirements. No so bad, just time.Mike

I've been searching for a literary agent for a manuscript I've written. I don't trustthe internet, due to accountability issues. The 2013 Guide to Literary Agents wassuggested by a friend. I found it to be extremely easy to read and understand. Allthe agents in the book are in there on an accountability basis. The knowledge gleanedfrom this book is invaluable to me. It speaks to the entire process; from crafting a goodquery letter to attract an agent, to creating a successful platform. Everything one needs toknow to get a literary agent is in this book.

Still reading it. Very good reference book for those who want to get published. One this is for sure: have patience. Have a lot of patience!

Didn't like it because I wanted mainly UK Agents and this is for American writers. May have been my fault!