Lit agent, Binky Urban

[B.R.Stateham]

If anyone reads Publishers MarketPlace, in the automat section, there is an interesting reprint of an interview with Binky Urban, a high-octane (and some say the best lit. agent out there) with ICM.

She has some interesting points to consider, like;

1. She thinks authors are going to get smaller advances for their books. Advances more closely
in line with what the books will sell.

2. She think's Amazon's undercutting of book prices, especially in the ebook sales, could seriously
damage--if not destroy--publishing houses. She definitely is not a fan of Amazon.

3. She has some interesting insights on the first generation of readers who have grown up with
computers in their homes. On one hand she likes what she see's from them. On the other hand,
what they could represent with e-books in relation to traditional publishing is problematical.

4. The other point she hinted at is that top agents go after established authors. And it makes sense.
But what does that mean for the newbies in the publishing world? We must be getting the John Doe
from the Mail Room wannabe lit agent to represent us--if we get representation at all.

Interesting interview. And while you're in there. read the Robert B. Parker interview. He's got something interesting to say about today's mess in the publishing world.

[Eric Christopherson]

The biggest agents are indeed open to taking on newcomers/nobodies as I discovered recently via personal experience. I had some very big agents read the full ms of my recently completed (and co-authored) novel, and one, an agent every bit as big as Binky, if not bigger, read the ms twice (asking for revisions after the first read) before ultimately passing, so she was obviously taking the work very seriously (and I hasten to add that I'm very happy with the agent we recently ended up with, maybe the biggest Hollywood book agent going).

The odds of landing one of these uber-agents are Hail Mary Pass long, especially in these times. But these agents are still motivated to consider everything that comes across their assistant's assistant's desk (or slips through their spam filter). That hunger and drive is likely what made them uber-agents in the first place.

[I. J. Parker]

But think of the resale value.
And the home library.
The thinking man has a library!

[B.R.Stateham]

(Sigh)

You know, there are days where I can't type worth hooey. And then there are the rest of the days where I really, really, really, really can't type worth shit!

[John Dishon]

There are some books that I read more than once, but most of them, only once. There's just too many more I want to read.

[B.R.Stateham]

John

I actually agree with you that books, especially hardback books, are way over priced. But as to how many times I read a book---buddy, I don't have enough toes or fingers to count the number of times I've rerad Chandler, Hammett, McBain, Burroughs . . . lots of other writers.

That's the beauty of owning books (or, for the electronic fans, ebooks).

[John Dishon]

Amazon's "undercutting" of book prices? You mean Amazon's reasonable book prices. Books are way overpriced in book stores. Even with B&N's member discount, Amazon is still cheaper. $24.95 for a hardcover is ridiculous. How many books do you read more than once anyway?