How do I become ... a literary agent

A keen business mind and real commitment to the publishing industry are vital for a job that is all about selling – shy and retiring types need not apply Gordon Wise has been a literary agent at Curtis Brown for 10 years, and has a wide range of clients, from celebrities like Miranda Hart to novelists such as Armistead Maupin. He is also vice-president of the Association of Authors’ Agents. But becoming an agent wasn’t part of his original career plan and he reached this point via a varied and winding path through the world of books.Wise studied History and English at Edinburgh university, both, he says, “heavy reading” subjects. But his real introduction to books as business came when, as an undergraduate, he won a place on a scholarship programme at the University of Pennsylvania. “I was allowed to work under my visa and I got a part-time job as a bookseller at Barnes & Noble, which had a big downtown bookstore,” he says. The job gave him an insight into publishing and sparked a vocation that would lead him to his current career. “What I enjoyed about publishing was that it is the place where business and creativity meet; you would be working with these wonderfully creative people – the writers – but trying to turn what they have created into something of commercial value.”If you are made an offer straight away, ask for a better offer. If you don't ask, you will never know Related: Small publishers are benefiting from changes in the industry Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-01 00:00:00 UTC ]

Other news stories related to: "How do I become ... a literary agent"


Barnes & Noble Tries Again

Investors, as well as members of the book publishing industry who see the survival of Barnes & Noble as crucial to maintaining a healthy bookselling environment, were cheered last week when the retailer received board approval for separating its Retail and Nook Media businesses. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble to spin off Nook tablets

Bookseller Barnes & Noble Inc said it would spin off its Nook tablets and college books business, sending its shares up about 8 percent in early trading. Continue reading at Baltimore Sun

[ Baltimore Sun | 2014-06-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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B&N to split off Nook business

Barnes & Noble is to separate its Nook Media and Retail businesses in a bid to increase... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-06-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tablet partnership for Nook and Samsung

Barnes & Noble’s Nook has partnered with Samsung to build co-branded tablets. The... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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B&N Partners with Samsung for Tablets

Barnes & Noble has reached an agreement with Samsung for the technology giant to develop co-branded tablets that will include Nook software. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Marvel, Artists Alley, Panels Highlight C2E2

Marvel had the largest booth and big annoucements, small publishers like Action Lab and Lion Forge were on hand and the show offered a robust Artists Alley and programming. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-04-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Liberty Media Scales Back its B&N Holdings

Liberty Media Corp. has sold most of its stake in Barnes & Noble to what the company called “qualified institutional buyers.” Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-04-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Nook Press's Horner outlines Europe offer

Barnes & Noble’s Nook Press self-publishing platform will be available in the UK,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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B&N Revises Microsoft Deal; Microsoft Consumer Reader Coming?

Barnes & Noble as disclosed some modifications to its agreement with Microsoft that will give B&N the option to not develop additional Nook Window apps. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble: A Tale of Two Companies

The release of its third-quarter results for fiscal 2014 and the subsequent conference call with analysts on February 26 made it clearer than ever that Barnes & Noble executives are operating two companies with very different issues. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Women’s Budget-Conscious Magazine All You Is Stepping Outside of Walmart

Bargains aren’t just for Walmart shoppers anymore.    Starting in April, Time Inc.’s All You, the magazine for budget-conscious women, will be sold at stores outside the retail giant—the title’s sole newsstand distributor since launching 10 years ago. The exclusive deal with the world’s... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2014-02-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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VIDEO: Armistead Maupin shuts down City

Tales Of The City, the hugely successful book series written by Armistead Maupin, comes to an end Continue reading at BBC World

[ BBC World | 2014-02-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Is Barnes & Noble’s Nook Expanding to Brazil?

An email to Brazilian publishers suggested that Barnes & Noble plans to start selling ebooks in Brazil soon, but B&N has yet to confirm. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-02-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sony turns the page on ebooks in North America

The PC business isn’t the only one Sony will abandon. The electronics giant is also closing the books on its North American ebook efforts.“Wait,” you’re probably saying after reading that sentence: “Sony was making an ebook effort in North America?”And you know, that’s pretty hurtful.Still, you... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2014-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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“India Will Become a Dumping Ground for American Literature”

Literary agent David Godwin predicts that small publishers in India will soon be forced aside by monolithic publishing houses run overseas. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-01-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google Launches AdSense Direct with Small Publishers in Mind

On Tuesday, Jan. 21 Google introduced AdSense Direct, an ad solution for publishers looking to initiate their own direct ad sales. Publishers will need to establish their own deals with advertisers, but once they do the transaction is as simple as sharing a link. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2014-01-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Class Action Suits Filed Against B&N

A number of law firms have filed class action lawsuits against Barnes & Noble that charge the company misled investors between February 25, 2013 and December 5, 2013. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-01-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Holiday Retail Sales Dip at B&N, Nook Sales Plunge

Holiday sales for the nine-week period ended December 28 fell 6.6% at Barnes & Noble’s retail segment and tumbled 60.5% in its Nook division. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-01-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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B&N appoints Huseby as new c.e.o.

Barnes & Noble has appointed a new chief executive officer in the form of Michael Huseby, its... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-01-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Native American Group Buys Entire Christmas Display

A customer representing the Poarch Band of Creek Indians walked into Barnes & Noble in Spanish Fort, Ala., and bought an entire display in the children's section. As a result, nearly 500 children in the tribe will receive at least one new book this holiday season. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-12-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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