Lots and lots of links this week, so let’s get this started, shall we?
First off, I’m as surprised as you are that my bracket wasn’t completely busted by 3 PM yesterday, which probably means that I’ll be dead in the water by the end of the day. There’s currently a nine-way tie atop the Blog Challenge — we’ll see how things shake out by Sunday!
In other literary sports news, ESPN columnist JA Adande wrote a terrific article about the relevancy of Malcolm Gladwell’s book OUTLIERS to sports, and in particular he talked to the extremely intelligent Celtic star Ray Allen about his thoughts on the book. Allen reflected on the unique advantages that put him on his path to NBA stardom.
Given how many dreams we have to dash in a given day, and, yes, how many bad literary agent apples there are in the publishing orchard, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that literary agents have aroused so much antipathy out there on the Internet lately and lots of finger-crossing about our supposed impending demise. The Self Publishing Review took issue with my statement in my interview with Alan Rinzler that we’re always on the side of authors because Henry feels that we first have our eye on the market.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the coin is Maya Reynolds, who went on a rant of her own about against anti-agent rants.
Victoria Strauss also pushed back against some of the agent-related Internet negativity and checked in with the ultimate, hilarious queryfail: querying someone who isn’t even an agent.
Also, I love Seth Godin, who has an article about how important it is for literary agents to specialize and stand for something in order to add value (and I agree), but he begins with a foreboding comparison to how travel agents have disappeared, which only made me think of the rejection letters: “I’m really sorry, but Hawaii said they won’t let you in. Sigh. It’s just such a tough travel market and they say they can’t take on yet another person from Indiana. I’ll try Fiji next.”
Lastly in agent news, Curtis Brown client Gretchen McNeil recently posted an awesome interview with ICM children’s book agent Tina Wexler, a fellow faculty alum of the Atlanta Writers Conference and an excellent agent.
At SXSW this week, Penguin UK won awards for Best in Show and an experimental prize for their website We Tell Stories, devoted to experimental stories told through web tools, including a story told through Google Maps. Very cool.
Also on the web, reader Teresa Miller pointed me to WriteTV, which is a web compilation of interviews with authors such as Sue Monk Kidd, Amy Tan, and more.
Reader Mary Ulrich pointed me to a seriously terrific article by Kevin Kelly about the uneven adoption of new technology, and how different groups sometimes have irrational reasons for refusing to adopt superior technology even when it would be to their direct benefit. Hmmm…. A group with an illogical attachment to outdated technology….. grasping for a book-related example….
Speaking of new technology, Sony and Google got their deal on and you will soon be able to read 500,000 public domain books on the Sony Reader. For free. Wow. Your move, Kindle. (And yes, publishers weep for their backlists).
The David Foster Wallace tributes are making their way through the magazineosphere, and you probably can’t do better than D.T. Max’s profile in the New Yorker. And in the chiding-but-we-still-love-ya category is James Tanner’s diagram of how to create a Foster Wallaceian sentence.
Still with me? Lots more to go.
Also in New Yorker profile news is blog favorite Ian McEwan. Daniel Zalewski’s profile of McEwan is, shall we say, comprehensive. In fact I’m pretty sure it’s longer than ON CHESIL BEACH. And ATONEMENT. Combined.
In presidential book news, via Publishers Lunch (subscription) comes word that former President Bush got himself a book deal, to be published by Crown, about making decisions. Commence sniggering or reverential expectation depending on one’s political persuasion.
And also via Pub Lunch (subscription) comes word that current President Obama has contracted with Random House for more books post-presidency, and his book earnings now total…… close to $9 million. Commence “Holy crap that’s a lot of dough” no matter one’s political persuasion.
Amid a really big year for Hachette, one bookseller is none too pleased that they have cut back on the co-op programs, including their Emerging Voices program. Check out the post in case you’re curious about what those co-op programs constitute, and yes, another example of publishers coalescing around established authors at the expense (potentially) of new voices.
Almost finally, Happy 40th Birthday to THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR, which Google is honoring today with a cool homage with a caterpillar logo.
And finally finally, you know how I like to end with puppies, and this week I get to end with a bestselling author’s puppy. I give you… Jeff Abbott’s insanely cute corgi. (UPDATE: oops, it’s a cardigan. Not just a sweater anymore.)
Have a great weekend!
JohnO says
Holy URL, Batman! Nice post, but … how do you ever get any WORK done?!
(Full disclosure: This asked by someone reading an agent’s blog, and commenting on it, at work.)
Nathan Bransford says
johno-
What I do is e-mail links to myself throughout the week and then put them together Friday morning. Assembling these posts only takes about half an hour. Lots of time left in the day.
Julie Weathers says
Nice round up of the week.
Bush will be approaching the topic I have often wondered about.
Everyone has perfect 20/20 hindsight in regards to decision-making. Even politicians who hailed those same decisions a few years back and were proud supporters now scramble like a flock of chickens in a thunderstorm, decrying how they know this would happen.
It would really be nice to be able to roll back history, insert other people in the scenarios and see what would actually happen.
It’s very easy to say what you would do when history has already played out, but not quite so easy in the midst of the battle.
[W]e made a great mistake in the beginning of our struggle, and I fear, in spite of all we can do, it will prove to be a fatal mistake. We appointed all our worst generals to command our armies, and all our best generals to edit the newspapers.–Robert E. Lee
Some things never change.
Marilyn Peake says
Wow – lots of great links to check out. Thank you!
I’m 2/3 of the way through the novel I’m currently writing, hoping to complete it before summer; and, as much as I follow the publishing market, I find I just can’t bring myself to read about the tightening publishing market right before a writing session. I’m off to write, then catch up on all the news. If nothing else, this economy has made me reeeeeeally good at compartmentalizing: creating my novel in one part of my brain, thoughts that I should abandon the novel and put my feet up or clean my house pushed down into the deep, dark recesses of my subsconscious. 🙂
Have a great weekend!
Emily Breen says
Have to say I'm coming around to the Kindle thing – even put in hint for my upcoming birthday (I figure the rocking in the corner weeping will be less boring if I have a nice supply of reading material to rock with!) – I put this firmly down to peer/blog pressure.
Thanks for another interesting post. Off now to look at Google maps (ooo how relevant) & see if my house is on there, we have quelle scandal breaking here today as some of the new pictures show houses in far too much detail. Useful tool for computer literate burglars, nasty shock for folk snapped putting the bins out in their PJs or bopping round their kitchens in their undies.
Nathan Bransford says
Well, I kind of wonder if someone flipping a coin on those big decisions would have resulted in a better track record.
Bane of Anubis says
Regarding Ray Allen, I used to dislike him (for no particularly good reason), but everything I’ve heard about him speaks volumes toward his character – e.g., when The Celts visited D.C., he pretty much mandated that his teammates visit The Holocaust Museum with him (and, reportedly, he visits it himself every time he’s in D.C.)… too bad he’s wearing Boston green, but he seems like your prototypical antithetical sports star.
Kristi says
I’m just psyched to be part of the NCAA nine-way tie for now – thank you, Western Kentucky!
Also, the Guide to Literary Agents gave a shout out to Nathan’s blog yesterday, and noted his Positivity Week posting about happy writers.
Hope everyone has a great weekend – go Tarheels! 🙂
Mark Terry says
Nice round-up. Three comments.
1. Jeff’s Corgi’s a mutant. Black and white? Momma was sniffin’ around a Labrador or something. I’m just sayin’. Corgi’s run to that weird orange color.
2. Bush gets money for decision-making. Note that a week ago Ari Fleischer was on and stated that we went into Iraq “before Saddam Hussein could attack us again.” Which was an interesting rewriting of history in that, um, Iraq NEVER attacked the U.S. Apparently to this day Bush et al. remains confused about exactly why we went to war in Iraq and who attacked us on 9/11. Ought to make for interesting reading in a completely revisionist sort of way.
3. Yeah, we sure love to complain about agents and the publishing industry. If only they’d do it the way I WANT YOU TO. Oh well. I’ve worked in healthcare as well as publishing and we complained in healthcare about how things were done, too. Damn hospitals, if only…
Katie says
Nathan, I gotta tell you I am LOVING the b-ball challenge. I needed hubby’s help with my team, but now I am flat addicted! And I am beating you 🙂
ryan field says
I didn’t even know there was a self-publishing review.
And, you had some really remarkable posts here this week. I personally gained something from each one.
Julie Weathers says
I suppose that has been wondered with every wartime decision and every presidency. No leader is ever completely right or wrong.
And, as I said, it’s always lovely to say in retrospect how we all knew what would happen. In truth, no one knows what will happen or what would have happened had different decisions been made.
Alternative histories only exist in fantasy even though we would like to think we all knew better.
Mira says
Wow, so much reading to do over the weekend. Thanks for all the posts, Nathan.
I know people are talking about history and important stuff like that, and I’d join in if I had any knowledge of current affairs.
That not being the case, instead, I’m now going to announce that I created the blog I mentioned: Come In Character. This is a place to post in character, as a way to practice and develop charcter voices.
A few people mentioned they might be interested. I’m not going to hold you to it, but if you or anyone else is interested in the concept, check it out.
https://comeincharacter.blogspot.com/
Thanks for letting me announce this here, Nathan.
Vancouver Dame says
Interesting articles on agents, and I liked your response to the Self Publishing Review. Agents just happen to be the latest target of the week for internet bashing. Last week (via a different technology) it was clueless query writers.
I’m sure the best agents will survive, as those are the ones who will be sought out by the new writers and existing authors. One way of ensuring that is to connect with your blog followers, as you do Nathan. Most of us are writers, some are authors, but we all find something of value in your daily blogs, or we wouldn’t check in so often.
It’s those bad apples in the literary agent orchard who need to worry.
Have a great weekend.
T. Anne says
Thanks for the links, quite an entertaining Friday wrap up. I had to laugh when I read Victoria Strauss’ blog this week. Not only did I find it amusing that she should get queries, I too thought she was an agent. And no I didn’t query.
Also, really liked Seth’s blog, funny in sort of a painful way. I suppose that news about google and the sony readers should bring a smile to every authors face since the e-revolution seems to be widening the gates.
I’m so thrilled the very hungry caterpillar is older than me, that alone is enough to brighten my day so thanks!
Melanie Avila says
Is it wrong to be excited that I’m beating you Nathan? 🙂 I’ll enjoy it while it lasts.
I’ve received three queries from someone despite the fact that I am not an agent and haven’t been published. And they were really bad.
Robena Grant says
Playing catch up for the entire week and now this post? Yikes! I’ll be here all day. : ) Thanks though, very good stuff. Of course I had to click on the link to Jeff’s pup first. Love Corgi’s.
Jeff Abbott says
Mark: My Corgi is a purebred Cardigan (the Corgi with the tail). Cardigans come in black/white, brindle, tan, brown/white, and gray. Pembrokes (the Corgi without the tail) have a more limited color range. Cardigan Welsh Corgis and Pembroke Welsh Corgis are considered two distinct breeds. (and for anyone considering a dog, Cardigans are a fantastic choice. Sorry for the plug.)
We now return you to your regular publishing discussion. Have a good weekend.
Mira says
Hey, I just tried to register for the contest. I’m alittle late, but I remembered that I wanted to win. Have to play to win. Someone already signed up with my e-mail.
Whose using my e-mail?
Stop that. Stop that right now.
E-mail stealer.
K.C. Shaw says
Free ebooks, muahahahahaha.
I’ve had my Sony reader for a week, and for everyone who’s hesitant to try one, GIVE IT ONE HOUR. I think the eink is made out of crack.
Not that I’m planning on giving up paper books, of course. But the reader is awesome and very easy on the eyes. I keep forgetting it’s an electronic device and try to turn the page as if it was paper, which makes me look sort of eccentric to anyone watching me.
T. Anne says
Jeff,
I’ve always loved corgi’s. They remind me of that video game, Star Fox. In our house it’s referred to as the Star Fox dog. Never seen one that color before. Too cute. 🙂
Deaf Indian Muslim Anarchist! says
I love that anti anti-agent rant, sooooo true. My sentiments exactly.
I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A GREAT WEEKEND.
:)Ash says
Wow, lots of good stuff this week! I’ve only read through part of it so far; can’t wait to read the rest!
And I’m doing fabulously in the bracket challenge… for now 🙂 I have Memphis beating UConn for the final four, and after yesterday’s performance, I fear that was a huge mistake…
Nathan Bransford says
henry-
Sorry, some readers are touchy about language, etc.
Whirlochre says
I loved that caterpillar.
Lupina says
Rats, I’m older than the Hungry Caterpillar, but we share the same birthday.
I’m not anything approaching an agent, only a lowly author, but I’ve received an entire manuscript from someone seeking publication. It was an emotionally disturbed young person’s memoir about being supernatural. I ponied up the postage to return it with as many kind suggestions as I could muster.
Happy Solstice everyone!
PurpleClover says
Maya Renolds – great Rant! She was right on! The world is unfair…suck it up and move on.
Victoria Strauss – HILARIOUS. What idiots. Especially the spammer. jerk.
Seth Godin – good points. Would love it if real estate agents were anything like that…lol. As for literary agents I think Nathan you were making a point in your comment about this a post or two back…you have to pass on lots of good stuff but take the stuff you believe in 110% or something. Totally agree…good marketing, wise time mgt.
Bush – should be interesting to see his explanation…but I bet that book will need HEAVY grammatical editing even though he’ll still be using a ghost writer I’m sure. 😉
Obama – DANG. What are the requirements to run for pres again?? I think I may try…lol.
Jeff Abbots pup – Too cute! Definitely worth the lengthy read…haha.
But alas, I will have to catch up on the other links later. 😉
Rick Daley says
Nathan,
I have a follow-up thank you for mentioning my query blog last week (https://openquery.blogspot.com).
In the past week the site had 5,450 page views. That’s 2,170 visits, with an average of 2.51 pages per visit (each query is its own page).
Average time on the site is almost 4.5 minutes, which means people are sticking around to read and comment.
Compare that to the inaugural week prior, which had 617 pageviews and 288 visits…
Several people have posted their thanks to me for starting the site, but I have to share it with you because it wouldn’t be a benefit to anyone if it went unknown.
Kasie West says
I’m officially on link overload. Thanks for fulfilling my link quota for the month. No, but seriously, it was like a one stop shop for all the interesting articles of the week. Thanks for doing all the work for me.
Anonymous says
Also, Jon Karp is still redefining his views on better books, fewer titles.
https://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/editors/jon_karp_put_more_work_into_fewer_books_111949.asp
Morgan
Ink says
Nathan, thanks for the link to the New Yorker tribute to David Foster Wallace. A little heartbreaking, but important reading for me. He played an important role in my evolution as a writer and reading that was a little like finding closure. I’m looking forward to reading The Pale King when they publish it.
I was going to read the McEwan article, but… it sounds like it’s even longer than the Wallace piece, and so I need more free time.
Thanks again,
Bryan
rightonmom says
Thanks for all the great links, I’ll be skiing it up over spring break but hope to read at least a few.
And I hope I never receive a rejection letter from my travel agent to Hawaii. Its where all we Portlanders go. Have a wondrful weekend!
Bobbi Comet says
Now Nathan,
I raise you one puppy picture!
Genny says
Thanks for all the great links. And I agree with Whirlochre; I love that caterpillar too.
Rick Chesler says
Thanks for this treasure trove of information, Nathan.
Marilyn Peake says
Nathan,
Just wondered if you’re planning more blog posts specifically about writing in the near future. That would be so much fun. The discussions about writing this past week were a blast!
Stephen Duncan says
As a represented author and attorney, I can see several parallels between agents and lawyers, in regards to representing clients. I’m certain this isn’t coincidence, considering how many agents are, in fact, attorneys.
Proponents of self publishing must come from the same cloth as the clients who walk into my office and ask me to prove why they need to retain my services in order to better their case outcome.
The answer is much the same as why, statistically, you need an agent to publish successfully: because that’s how the game is played. I can’t see any sort of unlikely total shift to e-publishing changing this.
Although, I have to disagree with your notion that people don’t have enough time to try. It seems there is a huge population of publishing hopefuls that have put all their eggs in the book deal basket without regard to other careers or jobs. I imagine they have all the time in the world.
Lucinda says
Your links were very informative and interesting; the comments were great as well. It may have taken you half an hour to write this one, but is certainly takes more time to read and click on links. (not complaining)
Reading some of the comments to Maya’s blog made me think about an old saying. It is so old that I am unable to quote it exactly.
It was something along the lines of…
The best teachers are those who remember being a student.
The best parents are those who remember being a child.
The best judges are those who remember being lawyers.
…and the list goes on.
In other words, sometimes successful authors tend to forget what it was like to be just writers where their daydreams are filled with stardom and wealth. In their eagerness to be on board the starships, some writers fail to realize they must pay dues (read, research, learn, rewrite, rewrite, and rewrite). Some writers who begin writing late in life feel they don’t have time to play the games and forgo the dues.
If a writer earnestly wants success without compromise, nothing will get in the way, not even rejected queries.
But, I really do find it hard to believe that someone would submit a manuscript to a person that is not an agent….even ignorance is smarter than that.
Thanks, Nathan, for all your wonderful research and information you give us with this blog. I read it every day even if I don’t post. (I think my long-winded response this time makes up for all the past lurking)
Lucinda
Gretchen says
Thanks for the linky love, Nathan! Tina was an awesome interview. And there’s another killer interview with Curtis Brown’s own Ginger Clark here: https://gretchenmcneil.blogspot.com/2009/03/interview-with-ginger-clark-literary.html
beckylevine says
If you don’t keep an eye on the market, how exactly are you supposed to help the writers? If you “take on” a book, but can’t find anywhere to sell it, who exactly does that help? Sheesh. 🙂
Haste yee back ;-) says
Great interview with TINA WEXLER… loved it! Thank you.
Haste yee back 😉
jimnduncan says
That’s unfortunate news from Hatchette. Makes you wonder about the bottom-line vs. love for books ratio at the top of the corporate publishing ladder.
BTW, it’s really great that you do this each week, Nathan. I look forward to your friday blogs.
A Paperback Writer says
Oh my heck.
Nathan, I love the travel agent rejection letters…..
That is just TOO good…
James Klousia says
Here’s another link you might find interesting:
Newspapers and Thinking the Unthinkable
It’s about the problems that the newspaper industry is currently experiencing, but I think a lot of what Clay Shirky says can also be applied to the publishing industry.
Jen C says
Ha, the Bush book should be fun to read! Definitely will be written by a ghost writer, and I’d say it would have to be approved by publicists, legal team and the rest of the entourage before it hits the shelves, but I’m sure it will make great critic fodder when it comes out.
On the flip side, I would love to read the Obama book (major crush on the president!).
Regarding the bunch of writers who go off on anti-agent rants, I think it’s their loss. I think it makes perfect sense to have someone who knows the industry on your side and I don’t understand why anyone wouldn’t want an agent.
And, in conclusion, I signed up for the MM competition on the work computer and I can’t remember my user name, so I can’t see how I’m doing until I get back in on Monday. Which is probably a good thing. I need to write this weekend, not obsess about teams I don’t know in a game I don’t watch!
PS Nathan I want you do do well in the comp because you and I picked the same team to win…
Writer from Hell says
Agents do stand for something already. First n foremost their personality – which shines thru in the words they put out there. Just like there are complaining authors, some lit agents are so negative – going on n on about what n who they do not want instead of clarifying what they DO want.
I agree with the advice that one should see a fit with agent before sending a query. And I always first check an agent’s personality and then the genre. If I don’t like the former I drop him. Simple! O lucky him/her one should say. But so far out of about 100 agents I may have researched, I’ve found only 6 that I liked. This is not a good strategy but it keeps the mood good n positive. But a whole lot there are so offputting and crazily bitter (pray why)that u feel i don’t want to put my work in the hands of this A**. I bet most writers feel that way. So while the agents are always going to be there but these ranting sort will find themselves out of business – actually not but no harm wishing.
Bane of Anubis says
Bad badgers – go make cheese 🙁
Congrats to the kings for finally beating an eastern team, even if it was the knicks.
Scott says
Rich post, Nathan. Thanks.
I agree with Godin: agents need to lead. However, there seems to be an altruistic element to that which, in these times, I can't see becoming popular or possible even when the prevailing determinate is survival. That said, hands are being forced to find value for money on both sides, so who knows? I think a blog is a great way to differentiate, as well. Keep it up!
My girlfriend and I also spent the better part of an hour in total walking in and out of bookstores in Cambridge and Paris (the famous Shakespeare & Co. among them) smelling the old pages, feeling the matte finishes of some of the covers, and gliding our fingertips over the soft pages as they sifted. I'm still not sure if we were indulging our senses or saying goodbye.
And Wallace seemed his own worst enemy. It's not unusual, I think, to seek a direction in an art form that will bring deliverance, but to have the courage to surrender all in its pursuit certainly is. But it is very calculated, and I'm not sure that isn't in itself the stuff of madness, or at least, frustration. He sought to bring the world to his understanding. Time easily runs out in those instances, one has to think. In the end, I hope his legacy is more than unfinished work and sadness. RIP, David.
freddie says
And, as I said, it’s always lovely to say in retrospect how we all knew what would happen. In truth, no one knows what will happen or what would have happened had different decisions been made.
Alternative histories only exist in fantasy even though we would like to think we all knew better.
Actually, a lot of people correctly predicted how those big decisions would turn out.
Pure Fiction says
Hi Nathan, I’m a regular visitor to your blog – fair play to you for making your knowledge of the publishing world so accessible and non-exclusive.
In relation to your mention of We tell Stories, I’ve just started a fictional blog,(Pure Fiction, at http://www.fictionalfictionwriter.com), featuring a fictional, newly separated writer struggling to get to grips with her brand new life on the west coast of Ireland.
My hope would be to try and maintain the structure and tension of a novel through the blog, while incorporating any messages, comments, or feedback I get into the story.
This has probably been done many times before, but as a novice blogger, the possibilities seem endless – twitter updates as the story develops, you-tube links featuring characters featured in the blog. Do you know of any examples of this kind of thing?
An Irish blogger