A book for all of us

Well, nine have survived in one form or another to be among the 175 listed in the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook 2011 — note the shift of the apostrophe, but more particularly the enormous increase in the number of agents.  

One midnight I cooked a thoughtcake: ‘The Rise and Rise of the Literary Agency’, with masses of tasty ingredients from all drinking holes of the literary map. A colourful history, with worldwide anecdote. By the time it’s published,  the Writers' & Artists' Yearbook may be listing 300 agencies.

Well, perhaps 250 if we allow for casualties.

Thoughts on agents

We all need agents. I acquired an agent entirely by accident. He tapped on my door, talked, and asked if I had a manuscript he could sell. I sorted one out rolled in a rubber band from a suitcase under the bed. He took it away, and sold it. From then on I had to stop messing about practising.

However, I shall now need another agent to tap on my door, as mine means to retire to his beautiful chateau in France, with greensward down to the river. He just wants to rebrand the 32 works of Len Deighton first.

Now it’s your turn to deliver some stories on lit-agencies for our ‘Rise and Rise’ book.

And don’t someone tell me the book already exists.

Best wishes,

Alex Hamilton

About Alex: Guest blogger Alex Hamilton is an award-winning travel writer. He contributes articles ‘The growth of travel guidebooks’ and ‘One hundred years of fiction bestsellers’ for the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook. Click here to buy the 2011 edition at a discount »