Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors and Literary Agents : Who They Are! What They Want! How to Win Them Over!

by Jeff Herman

Presents a guide to the names and specialities of American and Canadian publishers, editors, and literary agents, including information on the acquisition process and on choosing literary agents.

Genres: Writing, Reference, Nonfiction

1000 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2015

Reviews

[Brian Weidert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book on the 6th of September and finished it on the 8th of September. That's 600 pages in three days. I don't say that to brag, I say that because this book is not only that engrossing but that it is necessary for a person like me, a writer trying to break into the industry.

Let's go over some of the pros and cons:

Pros:

1. Jeff Herman is obviously a industry insider.
2. He gives a unvarnished look at the business side of publishing.
3. He "interviews" agents, through a list of questions he sent out. This gives the writer a feel for the pulse of the industry. If the big publishing houses are like Kafka's The Castle than the agents are the workers huddled in the Inn, only instead of disrupting them, you get to hear them speak freely.
4. The list of publishers, agents, and editors is wonderful. I think only Writer's Market is more comprehensive.

Cons:

1. The irreverent voice may not appeal to all readers.
2. The sense of hopelessness a writer often feels when thinking about publishing is confirmed in the advice of every agent. If "Don't give up" is the best piece of advice in the field than you are in a tough field.
3. I would have liked more listings on editors. I totally understand that Jeff Herman didn't feel comfortable going outside of the New York establishment for editors but one gets the feeling that they probably don't have time to look at your work, or, if they did, you don't have the money to afford it.
4. I would have liked an example query letter, or a half dozen.
5. I found it odd that the Jeff Herman agency, the author's own agency, seemed to blow off or not take seriously his own questions for the interview part. Perhaps he felt that he was already answering them with the book itself. In that case, just omit them. But, that sort of irreverence is what makes the book so charming, in its own scruffy way.

I felt that I learned more about the nuts and bolts of publishing in the last three days than I ever could have imagined. This book was like a Master's level class on getting published. Highly recommended for writers.

[Bambi]

Excellent!!!

[Heather Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeff Herman's Guide To Book Publishers, Editors, & Literary Agents 2009 (Three Dog Press, 978-0-9772682-4-5) is in its 19th edition. Nineteen years is a long time to be publishing comprehensively – and Herman, bless him, takes time and space at the beginning of his book not only to acknowledge the freelancers who help him self-publish, but he also to supply their contact information. Nineteen years is a long time to have been doing anything, but unlike, for example, parenting, publishing has become so much more (or less) than raising a book. Regarding what once were the established houses named for founders—like William Morrow, Harper Collins, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, Simon & Schuster— and are now part of multinational conglomerates, I quote:

The revolution came and happened quickly. Some of us complained, but it didn’t make any difference. It was a funny revolution in that it reversed the usual dynamic. Unlike the breaking away of exploited tribes from masters of conquest, which is revolution in its most romantic form, we watched as faceless and formless conquerors wrapped themselves around most of our precious tribes and soundlessly absorbed them into a small number of obese oceans.

…While some of the firms may be led by high-profile individuals or greatly influenced my multigenerational families that control large blocks of non-traded stock, it is also safe to say that these firms are greater than any one person or any unified collection of people. At the end of the day, it is the various pension funds and institutional investment firms that must be satisfied.


Fear not, authors who must. There are the independent presses. I quote again:

Together the “independents are the other half of the game. As a unified force, they are smaller than they were a decade ago, and are likely to keep getting smaller. But as their market-share shrinks, their indispensability only grows.

…In the end, it’s quality that counts, not quantity. And the long-term consequences of the growing consolidation in the industry are not clear yet. Dominance leads to comfort, which leads to inertia. When the asteroids return, it’s the ponderous dominators who will be the first to fall.


“Indispensable” is the word I’d use to describe Herman’s book if you’re an author with a finished manuscript. The profiles of the independent houses are complete, the interviews with agents enlightening, and the advice to writers straightforward.

Plus, it’s hard not to love a book that’s dedicated to “people who share their blessings, knowledge and wisdom with others.” Thanks, Jeff

(ForeWord Magazine)

[Greta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Also a very comprehensive listing of agents and publishers, and easier to read than the Writer's Market. It also included brief interviews with the various agents, givng the reader insight into what they like to work with, what their backgrounds are, etc. While the articles at the end were interesting, most were written by Jeff Herman; I would have preferred other viewpoints as well.

[Aauvi House · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great book! Found content to be informative and accurate. However the 2011 edition was almost word for word a repeat of the 2010 edition, very disappointed and a waste of money, not to mention the material was out of date.

[Liz Shine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike with some reference books of this sort, pulling the information I wanted and needed from this book was straight-forward. Passing it on to my friend Carrie now... :)

[Rachel Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like Writer's Market only more personal. Gives you an in-depth look at the people behind the desk and I must say it is helpful, humanizing them.

[Rita Stradling · Rating 4 out of 5]

the "advice for writers" section is excellent.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good information in here. Plenty thick.