The Evolving Role of the Literary Agent

In the most recent issue of Writer’s Digest magazine, you’ll find my feature article, “The Evolving Agent.” I discuss how literary agents’ business models and services are changing to fit the needs of their clients, who are increasingly self-publishing or choosing hybrid paths.

The article covers:

• the value of agent-assisted self-publishing
• what happens when agents use third parties to assist you (e.g., Argo Navis or Amazon White Glove)
• specific agencies that assist with self-publishing and what their terms are
• what questions to ask an agent before having them assist with self-publishing

Regarding that last point, here are a few of those questions to ask:

• Who covers the costs associated with self-publishing? In most cases, the author covers the cost, but sometimes the agent will cover expenses and deduct them from the author’s earnings.
• Who controls the rights to the self-published work? (It should be the author.)
• How long must you commit to giving the agent 15 percent of sales on the work? (It shouldn’t be indefinitely.)
• How/when can the agreement be terminated?

To read the full article, buy the October 2014 issue of Writer’s Digest, available in print or as a digital download.

For additional context, I also highly recommend reading:

• Agent-Assisted Self-Publishing and the Amazon White Glove Program by Melissa Foster
• Why I Left My Agent and New York Publisher by Claire Cook

Jane Friedman

Jane Friedman has spent her entire career working in the publishing industry, with a focus on business reporting and author education. Established in 2015, her newsletter The Bottom Line provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry professionals; in 2023, she was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World.

Jane’s expertise regularly features in major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR, The Today Show, Wired, The Guardian, Fox News, and BBC. Her book, The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition (The University of Chicago Press), is used as a classroom text by many writing and publishing degree programs. She reaches thousands through speaking engagements and workshops at diverse venues worldwide, including NYU’s Advanced Publishing Institute, Frankfurt Book Fair, and numerous MFA programs.