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8.
AOTW: What accomplishment do you take the most pride in?
Stuart Krichevsky:
The ability to grow with one’s clients, and having a part in helping someone grow
to be a bestselling author. I view career management as the most important aspect of
working with a writer. It isn’t just about selling a book; it’s about helping a
writer develop to his potential. Sebastian Junger was a struggling magazine writer when we
met. We moved him from marginal publications to major magazines, from a moderately good
book idea to one that really showcased his particular talents, from newcomer status to
mature professional. Similarly, Stephen Pollan was writing 15,000 copy trade paperbacks,
and we worked to find a project (DIE BROKE) that could bring him to a bestselling
readership. Laurence Shames was a magazine writer, then a bestselling ghostwriter, before
finding his niche as the author of eight magnificent Key West thrillers that are still
regarded as something of a genre in themselves. Nathaniel Philbrick had written two
respected books for a small, regional audience. It isn’t a magic touch or a
"powerful agent" appearing on the scene. It takes really getting to know your
clients, and finding a way to package their work in a way that the market can
embrace.
Linda Mead:
Never giving up on an author that you believed in, and then seeing that project go
somewhere. It happens.
Maria Carvainis:
Establishing the career of a new writer and sharing her/his joy with each new
published work.
Loretta Barrett:
Before I became an agent, I heard other agents refer to the fact that sometimes their
best accomplishment was to get a very "small", wonderful book published, whereas
sometimes the huge projects did not give the same sense of joy and reward. It is the book
that you’ve gone to 19 publishers with that the 20th publisher loves; one example is
LIFE DOESN’T FRIGHTEN ME, a children’s book with a poem by Maya Angelou and
paintings by Basquiat. It was a book that I went to 19 publishers with, with the idea of
having children read literature and see art in the same book, and it would cross over into
the adult market. The 20th publisher, Stewart Tabori & Chang, loved it. This was one
of my first sales as an agent, and the book has gone on to sell over 200,000 copies and
sells an enormous amount every year. I take great joy in this project.
Amy Berkower:
I take great pride in being there from the start of Nora Robert's career and helping
her make the leap from a category writer to a best-selling novelist. I also take pride in
helping many of my authors find a niche in the market where they can grow creatively and
thrive financially. I'd love to find some literary fiction where I can use what I've
learned about marketing books to help establish new writers.
Jane Dystel:
My client list.
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