Jeff Herman, GUIDE TO BOOK PUBLISHERS, EDITORS, LITERARY AGENTS author: Mr. Media Radio Interview

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By BOB ANDELMAN

This is a tough time to be a writer, whether you’re on the staff of a newspaper or magazine or an independent like myself. Layoffs and budgets cuts are impacting virtually everyone I know; there are no sure things in the writing game these days.

But two things are unchanged: people are actually reading more than ever and everybody still thinks their life story would either make a great book or they’re capable of writing The Next Great American Novel.

Make that three things: One of the best resources for the established or wannabe book author is still keeping a copy of Jeff Herman’s Guide to Book Publishers, Editors, & Literary Agents on your desk. The 2010 edition is hot off the press.

I have recommended Herman’s book to authors in much the same way I recommend the Writer’s Market from Writer’s Digest to freelance writers interested in exploring article writing. Both are invaluable desktop references, one best for books, one for articles.

AUDIO EXCERPT: "Most agents are looking for tomorrow's clients. Part of the thrill for me as an agent is looking for tomorrow's clients." 

As for Herman, this isn’t even his day job—he makes the bulk of his living from representing writers as a literary agent.

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You can LISTEN to this interview with JEFF HERMAN, literary agent and author of JEFF HERMAN'S GUIDE TO BOOK PUBLISHERS, EDITORS & LITERARY AGENTS, by clicking the audio player above!

Copyright 2010 Bob Andelman. Click here for copyright permissions!

Jane Friedman, WRITER'S DIGEST publisher: Mr. Media Radio Interview

BY BOB ANDELMAN

I was a little nervous when I received an email from Jane Friedman, the publisher of Writer’s Digest magazine and books.

She was responding to my interview with one of her authors, Mike Sacks, the author of And Here’s the Kicker: Conversations with 21 Top Humor Writers on Their Craft.

Sacks was unhappy with a number of things about the way Writer's Digest published his book and wasn’t shy abut discussing it.

I thought Friedman was going to give me an earful about what a sack Sacks was and how neither of us understood anything about publishing decisions.

Much to both of our surprise, she actually agreed with a number of the things we discussed and was interested in continuing the conversation. I was only too happy to do so; this show, after all, has hosted conversations with the editors and publishers of Smithsonian, Playboy, Success, Cooking Light and many others.

AUDIO EXCERPT: "You could see the change in our magazine as well as the books we published over the last 10 years. We actually felt this affect long before we saw it coming up in the industry as far as newspapers and magazines closing. Our books and articles on freelance work, newspaper journalism, magazine journalism, those sales were falling off dramatically. But what was selling was anything related to novel writing, finding an agent, anything more creative writing related... Most people aspire to write a novel. That's where our market has shifted."  

And, as a guy who makes his living writing books and magazine articles, I certainly have an interest in the topic.

As for Jane Friedman, she is publisher and editorial director of the Writer's Digest community at F+W Media in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she oversees all facets of the Writer's Digest brand, including Writer's Digest magazine, Writer’s Digest Books, annual market guides, online education, events, and competitions. Her blog, "There Are No Rules," discusses how writers can succeed in an era of change in the writing and publishing industry.


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You can LISTEN to this interview with JANE FRIEDMAN, publisher of WRITER'S DIGEST magazine and WRITER'S DIGEST BOOKS, by clicking the BlogTalkRadio.com audio player above!


Copyright 2009 Bob Andelman. Click here for copyright permissions!