AgentSpeak: Snippets from Literary Agents and the Publishing Industry

Jessica Faust on unlikeable characters

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 15:22:53 GMT

Literary agent Jessica Faust of Bookends, LLC shares her opinion on what makes a character unlikeable:

For me likeability tends to coincide with one-dimensional. A character being unlikeable usually means she has no redeeming qualities, and usually even unlikeable people have a redeeming quality or two, something that gives them more depth.

Read the rest here.

Sean Ferrell on why the N-word matters

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 04:54:47 GMT

Another reaction to NewSouth's editing of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, this time from writer Sean Ferrell, who deems the decision cowardly:

http://www.byseanferrell.com/2011/01/why_the_n-word_matters.html

The Censoring of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 04:49:06 GMT

An article in the Chicago Tribune shares several viewpoints re: the editing of two of Mark Twain's classic novels. NewSouth will release The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as a single volume with all racial epithets removed. Professors and others weigh in on this decision:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/books/printersrow/chi-books-reactions-edit-twain,0,6497750.story

Suzie Townsend on the truth about feedback

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 23:11:31 GMT

Ever been baffled after a literary agent requests your manuscript, then responds with a generic "not for me" rejection? Back in December Suzie Townsend offered an explanation:

http://confessionsofawanderingheart.blogspot.com/2010/12/truth-about-feedback.html

Nathan Bransford on agents who blog

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 02:43:20 GMT

Author and former literary agent Nathan Bransford shares a post in defense of literary agents who blog:

http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2011/01/in-defense-of-blogging-agents.html

Kristin Nelson on a questionable query tactic

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:46:19 GMT

According to Kristin Nelson, spamming a literary agency with the same query every day for two months straight might get you noticed, but not in a good way:

http://pubrants.blogspot.com/2011/01/query-spammer.html

Rachelle Gardner on how NOT to find representation

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:21:43 GMT

Rachelle Gardner reminds hopeful writers that negativity about the industry is not the way to a literary agent's heart:

http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2011/01/how-to-avoid-getting-agent.html

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