Chapter One
IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE WRITER
Writers are a very different breed. We tend to work in isolation yet think on a grand scale. That is why the Lord blessed us with the talent to put words together and entertain others with our wild imaginations. After all, there was a need for someone to research, write, transcribe and pontificate the earth’s first stories. That person had to own that work as if it was his own. So God blew the breath of life into the lungs of a long handed writer who labored to tell the greatest story on earth. And so it is.
Well, that is not exactly what happened, or was it? Anyhow, we writers sometimes think we know it all, but we are vulnerable in that self righteous point of view. Nevertheless we must arm ourselves with vast knowledge in order to effectively present ourselves as authors; i.e. authorities in any given topic or story.
To save face of me and my brothers and sisters of the ink, I give this peace offering. The Naked Author is a guide to helping writers and authors alike to understand the process of publishing and who does what in the industry so that we may better assess from who we will get what assistance during the process of getting our best selling books into print.
Chapter Five
AGENTS
A literary agent sells your product to a publisher. You hire an agent, under contract, as a marketing expert. You may feel stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to securing representation. One reason is that many publishing houses will not consider unsolicited manuscripts.
This is due to the fact that some editors do not believe the author can serve as a credible advocate for their own project. An agent, as an outside source, is better capable of winning their confidence.
Acknowledging this and considering the number of incomplete, unedited or unprepared manuscripts received by publishers, agents more often than not, act as screeners for publishing houses. Therefore an agent is very valuable and will not only give your product a much better chance at being viewed or considered, but can free up the publisher’s time by screening potential authors and their work. In other words, a good agent reassures the publisher the material being considered is properly edited, and in line with the types of books the publisher contracts. They have insider information and negotiation tactics, which are critical in the successful placement of a book.
Agents sell books for a larger royalty than authors can typically negotiate. When you think of it in these terms, their service is free of charge to you.
There are people posing as agents without moral and ethical values, however they prey on potential authors whose desire to be published outweighs their sense of judgment. If you recall Arthur’s plight in the fable, you understand the importance of interviewing the agent for the job just as they are interviewing you as a client. The agent should be skilled enough to get you a book deal just as you must possess the talent to write.
