top of page

Literary Agency

A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge. 
-- George R.R. Martin
Signing Contract

et us begin with the good news: American publishers are releasing more titles than ever. At the same time, consumers are buying the books in record numbers. By these measures, it might

seem that now is the perfect time for aspiring authors to make their

mark.

 

And yet, the book biz continues to struggle. Prices are down, and self-pub technology has flooded the market with millions of new titles. This makes it ever-harder for your book to stand out.

​

So what advantages do the publishers have left? They get to choose their projects and authors. No doubt, they have plenty of choices. By one account, about six million manuscripts, proposals, and queries circulate among American publishers and agents at any one time. If you want to get noticed in this brutal marketplace you might as well sit around waiting to get struck by lightning, or win the Powerball Lottery.

L

At WordWise Media Services we represent award-winning authors in a wide range of genres for children and adults. We have personal relationships with hundreds of acquisitions editors, and we know exactly what type of material they'want. Fewer and fewer publishers will accept a manuscript or proposal directly from an unknown writer these days; instead, they rely on literary agents to separate wheat from chaff and send them only the best work that has been thoroughly vetted and edited.  

​

But that's only half the story, and almost beside the point. For if all you want is to see your name on a book cover, you don't need us. With the right skills and strategies, you can do it yourself quite

easily. (But you probably want to sell those books and write another one, right?) We take the long view, looking beyond your current project, to help you advance in your career. After all, what's good for you, is good for us.

 

Editors come and go, companies merge and disappear, and departments get rearranged. We keep up with these changes for you. Publishers whisper to us about opportunities that are never revealed to the general public. Do you really want to spend all your time with that research, or would you rather spend your time actually writing?

 

Strategy is important: Do you have an overworked theme, or is it truly fresh and original? If they offer a contract, should you accept it? Inexperienced writers won't have these insights, and you might be better off to keep walking. We can help you score a larger advance, negotiate better contract terms, and sell more books. With this advantage you'll be well-positioned to sell your next book, and the one after that.

Our authors'  works have been released by these publishers:

 

Baker Books
Bold Vision Books

Brimstone Fiction

CamCat Publishing

Camel Press

Chosen Books

David C. Cook
E.P. Dutton (Penguin)

Elk Lake Publishers
End Game Press

Faithwords (Hachette)

Harlequin (Harper)
Iron Stream Media

Kregel Publications

Leafwood Publishers

Morgan James

Navpress

Potomac Books

Praeger

Thomas Nelson (Harper)

Tyndale House

Univ of Nebraska Press
Waterbrook (Random House)

Writer’s Digest Books (Penguin)

bottom of page