Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I created a book and software package for businesses wishing to plan, implement and track their marketing efforts.

Recently, a local publisher took a look at it. After doing so, he sent it to a colleague who is president of a big name publishing company.

While I do have many years of experience at producing and publishing my own materials, I know almost nothing about dealing with big publishers. And I have no idea whether the big name company mentioned above would actually be interested in acquiring my package.

So, my question to the group is: Should I be looking for a literary agent? How would I find a reputable agent? And how would I work with him or her?

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Design & Consulting | | Water Harvesting

Martha,

I suggest you contact SuN member Jeff - Logomotives. He has published many books and finishing up one right now. I believe he can help you. His profile:

http://www.startupnation.com/profile/LogoMotives

R@

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Richard Arnold · Key Concept Writers · Business Communication: The "Key" To Success· Law of Attraction Blog · Life Ain`t Brain Surgery Blog

Good Golly, Mz. Martha....three hundred dollars?! I`d sure want to know more about what I get for that kind of money, and the site (although nicely done) doesn`t seem to highlight it that strongly. :-) Just a thought.

It comes down to how much you`re willing to give up out of the price of each book, and how much control you want over the content. An agent would likely keep for you more than you might get on your own, but then it goes to the commission to the agent.

My own opinion is that nobody is likely going to push a book the way you would push it. Yes, the big publishers have huge distribution channels, but those are only as good as the individual sales people working in the large offices and cubicle farms. The bigger the company, the harder it is for anyone to notice your book.

So you`re back in the same position as doing it yourself. It`s pretty much as hard for you to get noticed on your own as it is for your book to get noticed in a corporate publishing house.

One other point; it seems more often these days, publishers don`t actively sell books. They wait for buyers to buy them. That`s meant, for me, that we get one big sale in October as the bookstores do their Christmas "buy" and that`s about it.

Kim Komando has her two books, and they`re amazingly cheap to produce. They`re hardly even books, but because she can hype them on her site and radio show, they seem to be books. Cost per book must have been less than a dollar, but she gets the entire $19.95. Take a look at her package if you get a chance---probably find it on eBay of a dollar or so.

Martha -

I haven`t used an agent in the past - but may in the future as I start to do more books.  However, with four additional publishers coming to me and wanting me to do books it may not be an immediate necessity. An agent is good in introducing your product/proposal to publishers, negotiating advances/contracts, and making use of their media contacts in arranging some promotional efforts if you have a book needing such services.  One of my friends is a best-selling fiction author and an agent is a must for him in regards to coordinating huge contracts, movie options, television and public appearances, major magazine article writing assignments, and much more.  I`m not at the point (yet) and I`m not willing to give up a big chunk of my meager book earnings. Maybe when I get my trashy novel completed...

I think you`ve run into Ilise Benun online, or at least may be may be aware of her book efforts in regards to self-promotion and other topics.  You might want to touch base with her through her blog, Stop Pushing Me Around (the title of her new book), and see if she has any insight on this topic.  I don`t know that she uses an agent or not. 

The amount I make per book through my publisher is not that much.  I more than double what I earn from each book sold through my associates links to Amazon.  I`m not willing to give up a percentage of those earnings at this point.  I do end up doing the majority of my book promotion myself.  My publisher does some major ad placement in industry magazines, conference speaking engagement bookings and promotion of my book within other books they market.  Still, their small marketing department is promoting a large number of books and mine is just one of many requiring their attention.

Hope that helps some...

- J.




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Jeff Fisher | Jeff Fisher LogoMotives | Tweet! Tweet!

I concur. When you get up into the big times, then an agent is a terrific asset, and worth all the commissions. They`ve got contract expertise, and often the legal help to really put it into action. And they have the personal contacts to push the story at parties and informal settings.

Books really aren`t all that much different than music, except the music industry is far and away ahead of the computer and publishing, and even TV industry, in terms of moving to the individual and indpendent artist. I`ve thought how nice it would be to have a book site like MP3.com or something, where the site only sells self-published books.

It`d be a nice place for investors, agents, and big houses to browse, looking over the independent market. There`d be lots of ways to make money on it, but like the music sites, the author would get half, and the site would take the other half and handle basic printing, packaging, and distribution.