Talking with Literary Agent Mark Gottlieb – Part 2

On Tuesday, Trident Media Group literary agent Mark Gottlieb discussed what a work day is like for him, a recent project (Tropic of Kansas by Christopher Brown) he’s worked on, and how he became a literary agent. Today, he concludes our interview with a discussion about “platform,” self-publishing and its role in the industry, and the state of the contemporary publishing industry. You can read Part 1 here.

I've heard that some publishers won't even look at an author who has fewer than 10,000 followers on Twitter. Overstated? What are publishers looking for in terms of an author's "platform?"

I’m finding that the importance of platform in author’s career has also made its way into the world of fiction, to an extent. In looking for an ideal fiction client with a platform, I look for authors that have good writing credentials such as experience with writing workshops, conferences, or smaller publications in respected literary magazines. Having awards, bestseller status, a strong online presence, or pre-publication blurbs in-hand for one’s manuscript is also very promising in the eyes of a literary agent.

To continue reading, please see my post today at Tweetspeak Poetry.

Photograph by Ehud Neuhaus via Unsplash. Used with permission.