tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post1586262155732202172..comments2023-11-02T06:57:11.400-04:00Comments on BookEnds Literary Agency: Praise from OthersBookEnds, A Literary Agencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06287278822065839469noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-85228588207162029492009-01-31T21:02:00.000-05:002009-01-31T21:02:00.000-05:00Andy, I found your question very interesting. I've...Andy, I found your question very interesting. I've never really considered how a big name outside of the writing spectrum would affect things... Definetly good to know, and it made me think.<BR/><BR/>What if the person was someone like Oprah? She's not only a huge force in television, but she has produced Broadway shows (The Color Purple, based on a novel) and runs a magazine. Possibly most important out of everything: her book club. Would something like that hold any sway?<BR/>(I personally would be highly amused if someone sent a query saying that Oprah loved their book. I'm just saying...)Jessica Milnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11993253751908772349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-89438002150883160232009-01-30T14:35:00.000-05:002009-01-30T14:35:00.000-05:00Very interesting. Thanks so much for your reply. T...Very interesting. Thanks so much for your reply. The situation is hypothetical, but I assumed, and am apparently correct that this sort of thing does happen. Appreciated.Grimushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00103703154598316058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-26460598831845744832009-01-30T13:25:00.000-05:002009-01-30T13:25:00.000-05:00"The best person to judge a book is the person rea..."The best person to judge a book is the person reading it at that time."<BR/><BR/>This seems to be the key sentence in your response, Jessica. As linda hall said above, the work should speak for itself. From what I've seen of agents, they HATE to be told what to think by querying authors, even if the praise is being drawn from another source. The original source of the praise would have to be the one to speak up, which is how referrals work.<BR/><BR/>As a book consumer, I know I hate when publishers try to tell me what to think of a book when they advertise it. I don't want to hear that a book is "brilliant," or that other readers find it brilliant, and be expected to take the publisher's word for it. Just tell me what the book is about, and I'll decide if it sounds interesting to me.Joliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16854297753580066357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-22387956909908550662009-01-30T04:56:00.000-05:002009-01-30T04:56:00.000-05:00Andy Edwards:The truth is that this bit Hollywood ...Andy Edwards:<BR/><BR/>The truth is that this bit Hollywood person is only saying they like the book. On my side of things you become a little jaded. You have no idea how many people come to me with big names on all sides of the spectrum (writers, agents, Hollywood) who say they like the book or would love to make a movie if it's published or love to see it if it's agented. None of it means anything unless I think it's a book I think I can sell and/or if you actually have a contract in hand from this Holly wood person.<BR/><BR/>--jhfBookEnds, A Literary Agencyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06287278822065839469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-5159579644775242922009-01-29T23:03:00.000-05:002009-01-29T23:03:00.000-05:00Do Agents ever ask a celebrity if they can write?H...Do Agents ever ask a celebrity if they can write?<BR/><BR/>Haste yee back ;-)Haste yee back ;-)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00345715370509449971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-54075791576423738202009-01-29T18:48:00.000-05:002009-01-29T18:48:00.000-05:00This is a serious question:What if the hypothetica...This is a serious question:<BR/><BR/>What if the hypothetical power player/person/reader was an enormous Hollywood literary talent. Someone with a star on the sidewalk, notoriously well respected critically and extremely well established regarding the commercial end? The kind of person whose name alone gets projects green lit. Huge.<BR/><BR/>Now this person doesn't publish books, in fact works the screen side so...can't necessarily get a novel published but could very conceivably make a manuscript into either a film or an HBO/Showtime type series. Further if this person didn't necessarily want to do it him/herself he or she could very likely attract significant talent that would be open to directing, producing, acting, etc.<BR/><BR/>This would seem to me to be a gimme; attractive to a literary agent, because wouldn't she or he basically have a easy winner on their hands? <BR/><BR/>I guess I'm also asking 1) are the worlds of Hollywood and lit so segregated that an agent could not really put it all together, and 2) are there rarefied agents who do walk in both worlds such that they could broker deals each way--to a publisher and a studio or production house? <BR/><BR/>Many thanks. Enjoy the blog.Grimushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00103703154598316058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-16516508757007158802009-01-29T11:55:00.000-05:002009-01-29T11:55:00.000-05:00Thanks for this great advice!Thanks for this great advice!Michelle D. Argylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09696465137285587646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-45594628417176445122009-01-29T09:48:00.000-05:002009-01-29T09:48:00.000-05:00So basically let your work speak for itself. Sigh...So basically let your work speak for itself. Sigh...guess I should tell Nora Roberts thanks but no thanks. *grin*<BR/><BR/>And by the way my word verification for the day is resold...hmmm, an omen maybe? :DAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-65788957062153454552009-01-29T09:47:00.000-05:002009-01-29T09:47:00.000-05:00So I guess we need enticing, well-written stories ...So I guess we need enticing, well-written stories with a market...and enticing, well-written queries to sell the story to an agent...no getting around anything.Anitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06333494452915600562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-13744222790257256402009-01-29T09:14:00.000-05:002009-01-29T09:14:00.000-05:00Actually Mark, I get blurbs from bestselling autho...Actually Mark, I get blurbs from bestselling authors all the time. That probably wouldn't jump out at me unless one of those authors actually recommended the author to me.<BR/><BR/>--jhfBookEnds, A Literary Agencyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06287278822065839469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-6985795317145640312009-01-29T09:03:00.000-05:002009-01-29T09:03:00.000-05:00Yes, but what if I had someone like David Morrell ...Yes, but what if I had someone like David Morrell or John Sandford or Janet Evanovich read the manuscript and they essentially blurbed it. Would that make you pay attention?Mark Terryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09410424046477699059noreply@blogger.com